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Salix caroliniana is often confused with:
Salix nigra Salix nigra
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Acer rubrum Acer rubrum
Salix nigra Salix nigra
Symplocos tinctoria Symplocos tinctoria

Salix caroliniana

Phonetic Spelling
SAY-liks kair-oh-lin-ee-AY-nah
Description

Carolina Willow is a deciduous tree that may grow to 20 feet tall. The leaves are alternate with a toothed margin, hairy stem, and pale-white underside. The bark is gray and smooth with scattered warts and horizontal lenticels. In spring, small, yellow flowers mature in great numbers. The small tree produces an egg-shaped capsule that matures in the summer.

The Coastal Plain Willow grows well in nutrient-poor soil.  It does well in wet areas like thickets and swamps and is right at home along a stream bank or next to a pond. In nature, it can be found growing near riverbanks, sandbars, interdune ponds, canal banks, and other wet sites. It grows near salt water, so has moderate salt spray tolerance but needs to be protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.  It is not drought tolerant and requires consistently moist soils.  It can be grown from seed or cuttings, including root cuttings.

While it bares similarity to the also native Black Willow, the two species can be told apart by the leaves– S. caroliniana has wider leaves and a whitish underside.

Live stakes often available.

More information on Salix.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
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Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#small tree#full sun tolerant#interesting bark#shrub#native tree#moth caterpillar host#green flowers#yellow flowers#deciduous shrub#nectar plant#piedmont#native shrub#salt tolerant#cover plant#spring flowers#winter interest#riparian#wetlands#flowering tree#moist soil#fire low flammability#NC native#large shrub#flowering shrub#small and large mammals#native garden#mountains#catkins#mourning cloak butterflies#summer interest#spring interest#interesting buds#pollinator plant#larval host plant#fruits summer#food source summer#deciduous tree#fruits spring#food source spring#Coastal OBL#food source herbage#food source pollen#Piedmont Mountains OBL#wet soils tolerant#bird friendly#butterfly friendly#wetland margins#bee friendly#host plant#Audubon#eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly#red-spotted purple butterfly#viceroy butterflies#eastern comma butterfly#coastal plant#butterfly caterpillar host#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Salix
    Species:
    caroliniana
    Family:
    Salicaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Root Cutting
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Fire Risk Rating:
    low flammability
    Wildlife Value:
    This tree provides some food and significant cover for wildlife. Its flowers attract bees. It is the only native larval host plant for viceroy (Limenitis archippus) butterflies. This is a larval host plant for several butterflies. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) has three flights in the deep south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) has one flight from June-July. Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) has two broods from April-October. Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) has two to three broods from May-September. Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) overwintered adults lay eggs in from early spring through April. The summer adults appear and lay eggs for the winter form from May-September which appear as adults in September that find a place to overwinter and start the cycle over. Eastern Comma rarely uses this host plant in North Carolina. It is also larval host for (Automeris io) moths.
    Play Value:
    Attracts Pollinators
    Wildlife Cover/Habitat
    Wildlife Food Source
    Wildlife Larval Host
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    fire in the landscape.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Native Plant
    Shrub
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Irregular
    Open
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    12-24 feet
    24-60 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    In North Carolina, the fruits are available from April to June.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Catkin
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Description:
    The greenish-yellow catkins are semi-showy. In North Carolina, they are available from March to May.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    White
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Linear
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Temperate deciduous, light green, long and narrow leaves to about 8 inches long. They are wider than Black Willow leaves and have a whiteish underside.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Ridges
    Bark Description:
    Furrowed gray bark. Provides winter interest.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Buds:
    Scaly
    Stem Bud Scales:
    Enclosed in a single cap like scale
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Naturalized Area
    Pond
    Riparian
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Water Garden
    Winter Garden
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Moths
    Pollinators
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Fire
    Poor Soil
    Salt
    Wet Soil