Virginia Tech Dendrology

arroyo willow Salicaceae Salix lasiolepis Benth. symbol: SALA6
Leaf: Alternate, simple, lanceolate to narrowly obovate, 3 to 6 inches long, margins wavy or with a few wavy teeth, thick and somewhat leathery, shiny dark green above, whitish beneath.
Flower: Species is dioecious; 1 to 2 inches long, fuzzy catkins, yellowish white, appearing in spring with or before the leaves.
Fruit: Small (1/4 inch), long-pointed, hairy capsules in oblong clusters; each capsule contains numerous small fuzzy seeds.
Twig: Slender, green to gray-brown, may have some fuzz; green to light brown buds are large and dull pointed, with a single cap-like scale.
Bark: Light gray, smooth, with lenticels when young, later splitting with reddish brown fissures and flat, light gray ridge tops.
Form: Usually a multi-stemmed, thicket forming large shrub up to 25 feet tall, may also be a small tree.
Looks like: Goodding's willow - sandbar willow - white willow - shining willow

Additional Range Information: Salix lasiolepis is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information