Salix caroliniana

Find This Plant at a Native Nursery

FANN

Learn More About Plant Status in FL

FL Atlas

Carolina Willow, Coastalplain Willow

Salicaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:Tree
Size:25-60 ft tall by 20-40 ft wide
Life Span:Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:Yellow
Fruit Color:White
Phenology:Deciduous
Noted for:Interesting bark, Showy fruits

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:Casual lanscapes, moist areas. This tree can be attractive most of the year due to its fairly fine leaves. It is at its best for a brief period in early spring when it blooms (yellow) and then sets masses of white fruit at a time when little else is blooming. Will tolerate root disturbance and flooding.
Considerations:Weak wood, easily broken.
Propagation:Seed, cuttings. Will send up numerous sprouts from stumps.
Availability:Native nurseries, Quality nurseries, Seed
Light: Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance:
always floodedextremely dry
 (Aquatic ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry)
Moisture Tolerance: Aquatic ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance:Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
Soil or other substrate:Loam, Sand
Soil pH:Acidic to neutral

Ecology

Wildlife:
Insects:
  

  • Larval host plant for Viceroy (Basilarchia archippus). 
  • The species is wind pollinated, but bees harvest pollend from the male flowers.  Observed species include Dialictus nymphalis and D. tegularis (Deyrup et al. 2002).
Native Habitats:Swamps, marshes, floodplains, glades around gator holes. Open, wet, sunny areas.

Distribution and Planting Zones

Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones

Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 8A 8B 9A 9B 

USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures

Comments

Ethnobotany:Willow stems have been used for basketry and other woven wood structures such as fences and furniture. Willow sap contains salicylic acid, which is a natural ingredient of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid).
General Comments:While generally a swamp plant, this tree can grow in uplands.  Stems root readily and most of the stems stuck in a moist substrate will survive without any further care. Is often used in stream bank restoration.