Salix caroliniana

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:	Tolerant of inundation with 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

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.