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Sitka Willow · Salix sitchensis

Description: A deciduous shrub or small tree to 20 feet tall. Oval leaves are narrow, dark green and shiny on top, with silvery-white hairs below. Catkins grow on 1 cm. long stalks, appearing before leaves in spring. Grows in shrub swamps, marshes, boggy places and streambanks, most commonly in valleys west 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.