Scouler's Willow
Salix scouleriana
- Native to:
- Canada, Mexico, United States
Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service, United States
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Salicaceae
- Genus:
- Salix
- Species:
- Salix scouleriana
- USDA Symbol:
- SASC
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 1200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, green
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
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)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds, small mammals
- Fall Color:
- yellow
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from the root crown following fire; often increases in abundance post-fire in disturbed sites.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, well-drained, loamy or sandy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Common in riparian zones and wetland edges
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Willow seeds are short-lived and must be sown fresh on moist soil; they require light for germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: No stratification required for seeds. For cuttings, 94% rooting was obtained without the use of IBA. However, 84% to 100% rooting was obtained in both hardwood and softwood cuttings treated with 1000, 2000, and 3000 ppm IBA.
Establishment: S. scouleriana is found from Alaska, Yukon and Northwest Territories south to South Dakota, New Mexico, Arizona and California. It grows from the lowlands and foothills to mid-montane elevations. For cuttings, softwood stem tip cuttings root more quickly than hardwood cuttings. For seeds, the germination medium used is a standard sphagnum peat moss and perlite mix of fairly coarse texture (Sunshine #1).
Source: npn.rngr.net