Salix hookeriana

Common Names

Coastal Willow, Dune Willow, Hooker's Willow

Summary

Salix hookeriana, commonly called Hooker’s Willow or coastal willow, is a coastal wetland willow native to western North America from Alaska to California. It forms an upright shrub or small tree 0.6–8 m tall, often spreading via rhizomes to form dense thickets. Distinctive features include glossy dark green leaves above and blue-green felted beneath, with catkins appearing in spring before the leaves.

In cultivation, it prefers full sun and moist to wet soils, tolerates a wide range of substrates from sand to clay, and endures maritime exposure, making it suitable for coastal landscapes, erosion-control plantings, and habitat restoration. Growth is rapid and spreading via rhizomes; propagation is by cuttings (softwood in early summer or hardwood in winter) or by seeds. Uses include erosion control, habitat creation, and basketry via stems; ethnobotany notes record leaves as an antidote for shellfish poisoning, bark for baskets, and roots for hair wash. Pests and diseases observed include aphids, caterpillars, leaf beetles, sawflies, willow scale, willow anthracnose, scab, canker, honey fungus, and rust.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

24 inches-26.5 feet

Spread

13-26.5 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Moist soil

Soil Drainage

Moist, well-drained soil

Soil pH

6.0-7.0

Acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

Green Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Green, with spring green-yellow and autumn golden foliage; upper surface yellowish-green and lower surface bluish-green (glaucous).

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast-growing, reaches full height in about 3–5 years under optimal moisture and often grows several feet in a season

Seasons of Interest

Spring

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Bees and other pollinators