Pacific willow
- Latin name: Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra (Benth.) E. Murr.
- French name: Saule du Pacifique
- Synonym(s): Western black willow yellow willow
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Taxonomic Serial Number: 524653
22550 [syn. S. lasiandra Benth.]
Description
Leaves
Form
- Lance-shaped
- Tip often long-pointed and twisted, base rounded
- Lower surface somewhat hairy
- Stipules pointed
Length
- 5–12 cm
- Stipules 2–5 mm
Colour
- Upper surface shiny dark green
- Lower surface whitish
- Midvein orange-yellow
Margin
- Finely toothed
Petiole
- Glandular at junction with the blade
Buds
Form
- Stout, pointed, shiny at the tip
- Pressed against the twig, closely spaced
- Covered with a single scale
- No true terminal bud; end bud originates as a lateral bud
- Flower buds larger than leaf buds
- Leaf scars V-shaped, with 3 vein scars
- Stipule scars on either side
Length
- 10–13 mm
Colour
- Light reddish-brown
- Pale at the base
Twigs
Form
- Stout, brittle, shiny
- Woolly when young, becoming hairless
Colour
- Yellowish, brownish or reddish
Flowers
Form
- Catkins on short leafy shoots
Length
- Pollen catkins 2–4 cm
- Seed catkins longer
Structure
- Dioecious
Floral timing
- With the leaves
Fruits
Form
- Capsule narrowly conical, hairless
Length
- 6–8 mm
Colour
- Light reddish-brown
Timing
- Bracts shed before capsules open
Bark
Form
- Furrowed with broad flat scaly plates
Colour
- Grey or brown becoming dark
Size
Height
- To 9 m
- The tallest native willow in British Columbia
Tree form
Open-grown
Trunk
- Crooked, with a rounded but ragged crown
Crown
- Branches upright
Habitat
Site
- Gravelly soils along lakeshores and stream banks
Associated species
- Red alder and black cottonwood
Range
Alaska to California, and eastward to Saskatchewan
Photos
Photos
Anthony Scullion
Insects and mites
Insects that cause damage to this tree.
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Birch and alder flea weevil
Scientific name: Rhynchaenus testaceus (Mull)
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Poplar-and-willow borer
Scientific name: Cryptorhynchus lapathi (Linnaeus).
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Willow flea weevil
Scientific name: Isochnus rufipes (LeConte)
Foliage or buds
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Bruce spanworm
Scientific name: Operophtera bruceata (Hulst)
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Ceanothus silk moth
Scientific name: Hyalophora euryalis (Walker)
- Eulithis destinata (Moesch)
- Eupithecia subfuscata (Haworth)
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Mourningcloak butterfly or spiny elm caterpillar
Scientific name: Nymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus)
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Pero moth
Scientific name: Pero morrisonaria (Hy. Edwards)
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Poplar-and-willow borer
Scientific name: Cryptorhynchus lapathi (Linnaeus).
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Speckled green fruitworm
Scientific name: Orthosia hibisci (Guenée)
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White slaut
Scientific name: Tetracis cachexiata (Guenée)
Roots, bark, stem or trunk, or branches
Distribution map
