Shining willow

Leaves

Form

• Lance-shaped
• Tip very long-pointed, base rounded
• Lower surface shiny
• Young leaves hairy

Length

• 4–15 cm
• Stipules 1–6 mm

Colour

• Upper surface shiny dark green
• Lower surface paler
• Young leaves tinged with red
• Hairs rust-coloured

Margin

• Teeth gland-tipped
• Glandular margins on stipules

Petiole

• Glandular at junction with the blade

Buds

Form

• Pointed, 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

Colour

• Light brown

Twigs

Form

• Shiny, hairy when young, becoming hairless

Colour

• Yellowish-brown to reddish-brown
• Hairs rust-coloured

Flowers

Form

• Catkins on short leafy shoots

Length

• Pollen catkins 2–4 cm
• Seed catkins slightly longer

Structure

• Dioecious

Floral timing

• With the leaves

Fruits

Form

• Capsules narrowly ovoid
• Hairless

Length

• 4–7 mm

Colour

• Light brown

Timing

• Bracts shed before capsules ripen

Bark

Colour

• Brown

Size

Height

• To 10 m
• The tallest native willow in Newfoundland and Labrador

Tree form

Open-grown

Crown

• Broad, rounded
• Branches upright

Habitat

Site

• Wide variety of wet sites

Range

West as far as Saskatchewan, and from Hudson Bay south to Indiana