Salix laevigata

Common Names

Red Willow, Polished Willow

Summary

Red willow is a native western North American deciduous tree or shrub with a rounded crown and multiple winding trunks, reaching about 2–15 m tall and up to 7.6 m wide. It features red to yellow-brown branchlets, glossy green leaves above and pale beneath, and yellow catkins on short leafy lateral branches; it is dioecious with separate male and female trees, flowering from December to February or mid April to June; its fruit is a capsule containing many cottony seeds.

In cultivation, it prefers open, moist to wet soils in full sun to partial shade, tolerates wet conditions, and is used for erosion control, restoration projects, and stream stabilization in riparian landscapes. Propagation is readily from cuttings, and the plant provides habitat for bees, birds, and butterflies.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

6 ft 7 in - 49 ft 3 in

Spread

10-50 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5a-10b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun. Tolerates partial shade

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Moist but well-drained soil

Soil pH

7–8, pH above 7

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring (Feb–Jun)

Foliage Color

Green, glaucous lower surface, glossy upper surface

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, birds, butterflies