Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Salicaceae

Genus:

Salix

Species:

Salix polaris

USDA Symbol:

SAPO

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Subshrub

Height:

10 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jun,jul

Ground Cover:

Yes

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★★★ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from root crown after fire in tundra environments.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

native to Arctic and alpine tundra regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Willow seeds have very short viability and must be sown fresh on moist soil surface with light exposure.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI