Fauna
Plant

Narrowleaf Willow

Salix exigua

Also known as Coyote Willow, Sandbar Willow, Narrow-leaved Willow

Narrowleaf Willow spreads through aggressive underground root runners to form dense, silvery-green thickets along river sandbars and stream channels. Its exceptionally long, slender leaves rustle softly in gentle breezes while providing crucial shade and root reinforcement that holds eroding riverbanks together. In early spring, bright yellow catkins emerge alongside the fresh foliage, attracting dense clouds of emerging native bees and pollinators.

RiparianThicket-formingDeciduous
Narrowleaf Willow reference1 / 7
(c) Stan Shebs, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic (autotroph)
Predators
  • North American Beaver
  • Elk
  • White-tailed Deer
ThreatsWater diversion, dam construction, invasive riparian plants
HabitatsRiver sandbars, stream banks, floodplain thickets, moist gravelly soil
Life span30–50 years
Classification
  1. OrderMalpighiales
  2. FamilySalicaceae
  3. GenusSalix
  4. SpeciesSalix exigua
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice
Recognize it by its dense thicket habit, grayish-green bark, and extremely narrow leaves under one centimeter wide.
Support conservation
Avoid trampling soft riverbanks or breaking stems, as thickets protect delicate shoreline soil from washing away.
Responsible observation
  • Spotting foliage: Look for exceptionally narrow leaves up to ten times longer than they are wide with fine, distant teeth.
  • Checking riverbanks: Search sunny sandbars and gravel benches where recent flooding exposed bare mineral soil.
  • Observing spring blooms: Watch the upright fuzzy catkins in early spring for early-emerging wild pollinators.
Related species
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