Salix gooddingii

Common Names

Goodding's Willow, Goodding's Black Willow, Black Willow, Valley Willow, Dudley Willow, Western Black Willow, Sauce, Sauz

Summary

Goodding’s willow is a native, dioecious, deciduous tree of riparian habitats in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico, typically 3–30 m tall, with fissured gray-brown bark, yellowish branchlets, and narrowly lanceolate, serrate leaves; catkins on separate trees appear in spring and fruits are capsules with silky-haired seeds.

Prefers full sun to part sun with regular moisture, tolerates sandy soils and a range of soil conditions, and is hardy to 0°F; container culture not recommended; propagation is easy from cuttings, while seed propagation requires fresh seeds with a saturated seedbed for the first month; used for erosion control, shade, wildlife habitat, and beaver forage, with low maintenance; avoid root disturbance and plant at least 10 m from buildings.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

15-40 feet

Spread

20-30 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6-10

Sunlight Requirements

Full sun to partial sun, tolerates partial shade

Soil Type

Moist riparian soils along streams.

Soil Drainage

Moist to wet soils, especially in riparian/wetland areas along streams

Soil pH

6.6–7.5 (neutral)

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast-growing

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Root-crown sprouts, Container propagation

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, other pollinators, and birds