Salix exigua

Common Names

Narrowleaf Willow, Coyote Willow, Sandbar Willow, Desert Willow, Hinds' Willow

Summary

Coyote Willow, also called Sandbar Willow or Narrowleaf Willow, is a North American native deciduous shrub or small tree that forms dense thickets through vigorous root suckering. It has slender gray-green branches and narrow lanceolate to linear leaves that are silvery when young; catkins appear in spring on separate male and female plants (dioecious), with fruit capsules containing numerous tiny seeds. It occupies riparian habitats such as stream banks, sandbars, and wetlands, tolerates moist to wet soils, and functions as a rapid pioneer for stream stabilization because of an extensive root system and erosion-control capabilities, while providing wildlife habitat and browse.

It grows best in full sun to light shade with consistently moist, well-drained soils; it dislikes dryness at the roots but tolerates wet conditions and flood-prone sites, and is hardy to USDA zones 2–9. Propagation is easy from hardwood or softwood cuttings and from seeds, though seed viability lasts only a few days; pruning is minimal beyond density control. Uses include streambank stabilization, riparian restoration, erosion control, and habitat for wildlife; caution is advised as root systems can spread aggressively via suckering, potentially becoming weedy or invasive and capable of clogging septic systems if planted near infrastructure.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

13-23 feet

Spread

15-20 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-6

Sunlight Requirements

Full sun to partial sun.

Soil Type

Moist soils

Soil Drainage

Moist or wet soils with a high water table

Soil pH

6.5-7.0

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green (often green to gray-green; younger leaves gray-green or grayish-silver; upper surface green, lower surface pale green).

Fall Foliage Color

Grey-Silver-Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast-growing (vigorous), 12 inches (30 cm) per year

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings (softwood, semi-ripe, hardwood), Division, Layering, Rhizomes, Root sprouts, Basal shoots

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds