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Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Trees Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)

General: Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua) is a fairly common shrubby tree that grows along water courses in the Mojave Desert and gets to about 20 feet tall. The leaves are long (to about 8 inches) and narrow with a pointed tip. The leaves are also serrate, but the teeth are widely separated. Catkins produce cottony material that catch the wind and carry seeds away.

Narrowleaf Willow is a common component of vegetation communities in wet areas in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) life zones; although it grows to about 9,000 feet elevation.

Family: Willow (Salicaceae).

Other Names: Sandbar Willow, Narrow-leaved Willow, Coyote Willow.

Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)

Plant Form: Clonal shrubby tree that grows from root sprouts.

Height: To about 20 feet

Trunk:

Bark:

Stems:

Leaves: Narrow lanceolate, to 8 inches long, white hairy especially when fresh. Leaf blade more than 10 times the width. Leaf margin entire or with few irregular, widely spaced small teeth (not really toothed)

Flowers: Blooms spring and early summer. Inflorescence: catkin.

Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Serrate leaf with widely separate teeth

Seeds: Attached to a cottony mass that carries the seeds on the wind.

Habitat: Areas with water: streams, washes, seeps, springs.

Elevation: To about 9,000 feet.

Distribution: Western North America.

Comments:

Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow in typical streamside habitat
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow with Canyon Grape along a desert stream
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow stems are reddish when fresh
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow most distal stems are yellow
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow leaves are long and very narrow
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow leaves are long and very narrow
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow leaf (dorsal surface)
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow leaf (ventral surface)
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow flowers
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow flowers
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow flowers
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Narrowleaf Willow flowers

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
copyright; Last updated 220815

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