Salix interior
interior sandbar willow
Overview
Salix interior is a deciduous, thicket-forming shrub or small tree native to North America, growing 6-20 ft (1.8-6 m) tall and spreading widely by root suckers to form dense colonies. Its slender stems carry narrow, almost linear leaves 2-5 in (5-13 cm) long and only 0.2-0.5 in (5-12 mm) wide, with widely spaced small teeth and a green color on both sides. In spring, as or just after the leaves appear, it bears slim yellow-green catkins; male and female catkins grow on separate plants. Female catkins ripen tiny seeds tipped with white cottony hairs that drift on the wind in early summer. It grows on sandbars, river edges, lake shores, ditches, and other wet, disturbed ground in full sun. The suckering habit forms thickets that bind loose soil but can spread aggressively beyond a planting. It is among the first woody plants to colonize fresh sandbars. The stems and foliage are browsed by wildlife.
Native Range
Native across much of North America, from the Yukon and across Canada south through most of the United States to Texas and the Southwest. It grows on river sandbars, stream banks, lake shores, floodplains, wet ditches, and other moist, disturbed ground.Suggested Uses
Used in streambank and shoreline stabilization, wetland restoration, and erosion control on sandy, flood-prone ground. It is planted from live stakes or spaced 3-5 ft (90-150 cm) apart to knit thickets along water. It shelters nesting birds and gives browse and cover for wildlife.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6' - 20'
Width/Spread6' - 15'
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Slim yellow-green catkins open in spring, about April to June, as or shortly after the leaves emerge. Male and female catkins grow on separate plants. Female catkins release wind-borne, cotton-tufted seeds in late spring and early summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Salix interior grows in full sun on moist to wet, sandy or silty soils and tolerates seasonal flooding, poor drainage, and a pH of 5.5-8.0. It needs steady moisture and does not tolerate prolonged drought. It establishes readily from cuttings pushed into damp soil. The roots sucker freely, so it spreads into open ground unless suckers are removed. It tolerates hard cutting and resprouts strongly from the base. Leaf beetles, willow rusts, and cankers can affect it but rarely cause lasting harm.Pruning
Cut back stems in late winter to renew growth and control height, as the plant resprouts strongly from the base. Remove root suckers through the season to limit the spread of the thicket. Damaged or crowded stems can be thinned at any time.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
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J
A
S
O
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winterearly spring