Related Links

Resources

Other Links

Ministry of Agriculture

Willows
Salix spp.


How to Identify

Varying in height from matforming shrubs to small trees. Leaves are variable but simple (not-divided) with margins that vary from smooth to coarsely toothed. Willows produce catkins.

Where to Find

Willows occur in a variety of habitats including riparian areas, wetlands, open forests and disturbed areas.

Grazing Considerations

Fair to poor forage for cattle and good to excellent forage for sheep and native ungulates. May increase or decrease with heavy grazing/browsing. Most willows will decrease under prolonged heavy grazing.

Salix spp. or Willow
Photo by Colin Stone (Alberta Agriculture) Salix spp. or Willow Photo by Colin Stone (Alberta Agriculture) Salix spp. or Willow
Photo by Colin Stone (Alberta Agriculture) Salix spp. or Willow Photo by Colin Stone (Alberta Agriculture) Salix spp. or Willow


Print version(s):
  • Range Plants of the Central Interior
  • Range Plants of the Southern Interior
  • Range Plants of the Peace Region
  • Range Plants of the Northern Interior
    •

    Back to topTop


    RANGE PLANT IDENTIFICATION BOOKS

    Prepared by:
    Darren Bruhjell
    Industry Competitiveness Branch

    Nancy Portman and Greg Tegart
    Regional Operations

    B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries

    This booklet is part of a four booklet series that includes:

    Range Plants of the Peace Region
    Range Plants of the Northern Interior
    Range Plants of the Central Interior
    Range Plants of the Southern Interior


    The following individuals and agencies are gratefully acknowledged for providing illustrations and photographs:

    Illustration Credits

    Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Looman, J). 1982 Prairie Grasses: Identified and Described by Vegetative Characters. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada Publication 1453. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada. 2005. P. 33, 40, 41, 42, 47, 78, 88, 89, 106, 121, 126, 133, 156, 167, 201, 232, 233, 236, 239.

    Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. (Looman, J. and K.F. Best) 1987. Budd’s Flora of the Canadian Prairies. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada. Publication 1662. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada. 2005. P. 251, 481, 503, 538, 556.

    Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, Ministry of Forests. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia. 2001. Vol. 4:263, 337; Vol. 5:33; Vol. 7:153.

    Stone, C. and D. Lawrence 2000. Northern Range Plants. Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. P. 19, 131.

    Maywood, John. Special Collections, Rutherford Library, UofA, Edmonton, AB; Stone, C. and D. Lawrence 2000. Northern Range Plants. Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. P.22, 78.

    USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada.Vol. 1: 181.

    USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada.Vol. 1: 422.

    USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada.Vol. 3: 270.

    USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada.Vol. 3: 282.

    USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada.Vol. 2: 257.

    Taylor, John E. and John Lacey. 1999. Monitoring Montana Rangeland. P. 5 and 6.

    USDA-NRCS. 2005. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

    Flora of the Pacific Northwest, An Illustrated Manual, Hitchcock, C. Leo and Arthur Cronquist. 1973. University of Washington Press. P. 290.

    North American Wildland Plants, A Field Guide, Stubbendieck, James, Stephan L. Hatch & LM Landholt, 2003 Board of Regents, University of Nebraska.

    The information contained in these booklets has been obtained from a number of sources including:

    Northern Range Plants. 2000. Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Home Study Program.

    Parish, Robert, Ray Coupe and Dennis Lloyd. Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia and the Inland Northwest. 1996. Lone Pine Publishing.

    Stubbendieck, James, Stephan L. Hatch and L.M. Landholt, North American Wildland Plants, A Field Guide. 2003. University of Nebraska Press.

    Roche, Ben. 1983. Range Plants, Their Identification Usefulness and Management. Washington State University.

    The authors wish to thank the following individuals for their assistance in the creation of this series of booklets: Laura Blonski, Keith Carroll, Bob Drinkwater, Chris Easthope, Doug Fraser, Ross Green, Glenn Heyes, Cathy Mumford, Rick Tucker of the B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lois Hameister, Alberta Government and Alf Bawtree.

    B.C. Ministry of Agriculture _____________________________________________________

    B.C. Chapter
    SOCIETY FOR RANGE MANAGEMENT