Native Plants

Plant Database

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.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Salix laevigata

Salix laevigata Bebb

Red Willow, Polished Willow

Salicaceae (Willow Family)

Synonym(s): Salix bonplandiana var. laevigata, Salix congesta, Salix laevigata var. angustifolia, Salix laevigata var. araquipa, Salix laevigata var. congesta

USDA Symbol: SALA3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A 10-45 ft. tree or shrub with narrow, light-green leaves and red-brown to yellowish twigs. Catkins occur on short, leafy, lateral stems.

From the Image Gallery

No images of this plant

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 45 feet tall, often much shorter.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Green
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Apr , May , Jun , Dec

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , NV , OR , UT
Native Distribution: Cismontane CA to s. UT & AZ
Native Habitat: Stream banks below 5000 ft.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Various moist to wet soils.
Conditions Comments: Good for steam stabilization. Works in seasonally wet spots.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Supports Conservation Biological Control

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

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:			FACW							FACW

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.

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

Metadata

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

Go back