Scientific Family
Salicaceae
Synonyms
Salix gooddingii var. gooddingii , Salix gooddingii var. vallicola, Salix gooddingii var. variabilis, Salix nigra var. vallicola, Salix vallicola
Other common names
western black willow
Dudley willow
swamp willow
Goodding's black willow
Goodding’s willow
Gooding black willow
Plant type
Trees
Riparian
Yes
Plant Description
Origin
Native
Largest of the willows with a broad, rounded crown and a massive trunk to 30 inches in diameter. Deep lateral root system is valuable for erosion control.
Tree to 100 feet. Slender branches, thick furrowed bark. Leaves alternate, lance-shaped, 7 or 8 times longer than wide, finely toothed, glandular, green to yellowish-green on both sides. Stipules absent or rudimentary. Catkins on lateral leafy branchlets.
Height
45 to 100 feet
Width
40 feet
Habitat
Habitat description
Found along streams, in moist canyons and wet meadows up to 7000 feet but usually lower.
Plant Community
Riparian
Low elevation
0
High elevation
7000
Leaves
Leaf color
Green to yellowish-green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Leaf Drop
Deciduous
Alternate along the branchlets, on hairy stalks with small stipules at bases. Narrowly lance-shaped to very narrowly elliptical, long pointed and fine toothed; widest at the bases. Upper and lower leaf surfaces green to yellowish-green and hairless.
Flowers
Flower color
Yellowish
Flower shape
Inconspicuous
Tubular
No
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
June
Catkins develop after leaves are fully formed in spring; male and female on separate trees. Catkins to 3-1/2 inches long; each flower subtended by a greenish, whitish, or yellowish-brown bract covered in short wavy hairs that fall off after flowering.
Flower clusters
Elongated
Fruit
Fruit color
Yellowish
Fruit type
Capsule
Smooth or hairy cone-shaped capsules on short stalks split into 2 sections to release many cottony seeds. Matures in late spring.