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Columbia River Willow · Salix fluviatilis

Description: This willow is a deciduous shrub or small tree, 20 to 30 feet tall. Leaves are alternate, long and narrow, 5 -15 cm long. Catkins appear at the ends of leafy branches in late summer after leaves develop; they remain into winter. This willow grows in shrub swamps, wet prairies, roadside ditches, on riverbanks and sandbars, at low to moderate elevations on both sides of the Cascades. The native plant gardener will appreciate its tolerance for wet and dry conditions, as well as its wildlife values. As with many other willows, it helps control erosion and shades fish habitat when planted near water, its stems and foliage are enjoyed by deer and rabbits, small game-birds and songbirds eat the catkins and buds and the insects that live among the leaves and branches, butterflies and bees enjoy its nectar, and some native butterfly larvae use willows as their host plant.