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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Salix scouleriana

Salix scouleriana Barratt ex Hook.

Scouler's Willow, Western Pussy Willow

Salicaceae (Willow Family)

Synonym(s): Salix brachystachys, Salix brachystachys var. scouleriana, Salix capreoides, Salix flavescens, Salix flavescens var. capreoides, Salix flavescens var. scouleriana, Salix nuttallii, Salix nuttallii var. capreoides, Salix scouleriana var. brachystachys, Salix scouleriana var. coetanea, Salix scouleriana var. crassijulis, Salix scouleriana var. flavescens, Salix scouleriana var. poikila, Salix scouleriana var. thompsonii, Salix stagnalis

USDA Symbol: SASC

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N)

Scouler's Willow or Western Pussy Willow is a tall shrub or tree, usually growing to 30 ft., with dark green, broadly lance-shaped leaves clustered at the ends of the twigs. Stems are slender with gray-green bark. Silvery-gray, furry catkins appear before leaf emergence. Freshly stripped bark of twigs usually has skunklike odor.

This species is sometimes called "Fire Willow" because it rapidly occupies burned areas, forming blue-green thickets. A pussy willow and one of the earliest flowering species, it is an important browse plant for moose in Alaska and for sheep and cattle elsewhere. It is one of several species sometimes forming "diamond willow"; these stems with diamond-shaped patterns caused by fungi are in demand for canes, novelties, and furniture posts. It is named for its discoverer, John Scouler (1804-71), the Scottish naturalist and physician.

 

From the Image Gallery

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 60 feet tall, often much shorter.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AK , AZ , CA , CO , ID , MT , NM , NV , OR , SD , UT , WA , WY
Canada: AB , BC , NT , SK , YT
Native Distribution: W. mt. regions from AK & Yukon to CA, AZ & NM; extends e. in Canada to Sas. & occurs in the Black Hills.
Native Habitat: Stream banks, sloughs & drier areas from low- to mid-elevations.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Moist to drier soils.
Conditions Comments: Fast-growing.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Willows are among the easiest of all plants to root from cuttings. Stem and root cuttings are used. Propagation is also accomplished by sowing fresh, untreated seed onto a moist seedbed. Seed viability lasts only a few days.
Seed Treatment: No treatment is necessary.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FAC FAC FACU FAC
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Salix scouleriana in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Salix scouleriana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Salix scouleriana

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-16
Research By: TWC Staff

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