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Scouler's Willow
Scientific Name:
Salix scouleriana
Type:
Tree
Habitat:
Forests, shrublands, and inland wetlands
Range:
Western United States, Canada, and Alaska
Status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
This species is
NATIVE
to the Truckee Meadows.
Identification:
While Scouler’s willows are generally considered shrubs that grow between 6 and 35 feet tall, they can also be found as trees up to 65 feet in height. Their stems and branches tend to be slender and they have smooth bark (which can also, in some cases, be flaky). Their leaves are smooth and oblong with the pointed end at the base of the leaf. Their stripped bark can have a skunky odor. Scouler’s willows are found in stony and silty soils while they can also tolerate moderately- to well-drained soils. They prefer full sun.
Fast Facts:
Scouler’s willows are the most common upland willows across their range.
Insects (most crucially, bees) are important pollinators for Scouler's willows.
Scouler's willows are dioecious (meaning two houses in latin), meaning the male and female reproductive structures are on separate individual willows.
Scouler’s willows protect soil from erosion and can help return burned areas to forest cover.
In the Paiute language, willows are known as Suube.x
Sources:
U.S. Forest Service, Salix scouleriana, 2001, https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/salsco/all.html
iNaturalist, Scouler's Willow, 2021, https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/71076-Salix-scouleriana
IUCN Red List, Scouler's Willow, 2018, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/126590504/126591115
Pyramid Lake, The Paiute Language, 2021, http://www.numuinc.com/home/the-tribe/the-paiute-language/
Image: Matt Lavin, https://www.flickr.com/photos/plant_diversity/5026811067, license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/, cropped from original.
Contributor(s):
Brianna Raggio (research & content)
Alex Shahbazi (edits & page design)