Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Yellow Willow (Salix lutea) is a native shrub that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 16 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are yellow and bloom in the spring. Leaves are light-green and deciduous. This plant tends to grow in stream edges and wet meadows, at elevations from 5000-9500 feet.

Plant type

Tree

Size

16 - 23 ft Tall

Form

Upright

Growth rate

Fast

Dormancy

Winter Deciduous

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow, Cream, Green

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Full Sun

Water

High

Soil description

Adaptable, tolerant of sand, loam and clay.

Propagation

For propagating by seed: No treatment. Use fresh seeds (usually only viable a few days). Seeds should not be covered or pressed into a medium. Seedbed should be kept saturated for the first month. Easily propogated from cuttings.

Sunset Zones

1*, 2*, 3*, 4, 5, 6, 7*, 8*, 9*, 10, 11, 12, 14*, 15, 16, 17, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22, 23, 24

Site type

Stream edges, wet meadows

Plant communities

Lodgepole Forest, Red Fir Forest, Wetland-Riparian

Birds
Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

2 confirmed and 192 likely

Confirmed Likely

Lorquin's Admiral

Limenitis lorquini

Willow Leaf Blotch Miner

Phyllonorycter salicifoliella

Luteus Dart Moth

Abagrotis trigona

Acerra normalis