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Sandbar Willow

Salix exigua

Out of stock

1 gallon

Plant Care

Native region:

Local Native; Mojave Desert

Water needs:

Moderate; High

Exposure:

Mature size:

Growth rate:

Full Sun

4-15'x4-15'

Fast

Flower color:

Flower season:

Pruning:

Yellow; White

Spring; Winter

Wildlife

Monarchs:

Yes

Nectar pollinators:

Yes

Nighttime pollinators:

Rabbit resistant:

Sandbar Willow is a suckering shrub that forms dense thickets, typically reaching 4 to 15 feet in height. It is grown for its attractive display of narrow, gray-green leaves that flutter in the wind. The leaves are green to grayish, with silky white hairs when young. In late spring, yellow or white catkins emerge after the leaves, followed by clusters of fruit capsules containing numerous tiny seeds embedded in shiny white silk.

Like most willows, Sandbar Willow thrives in moist environments. It is tolerant of various soil types and poor drainage as long as there is abundant moisture. This plant prefers full sun and spreads by shoots to form dense colonies, eventually occupying any wet soil it can reach. It is the only true willow that can grow in hot, dry desert climates, provided its roots remain in moist soil.

Sandbar Willow supports a wide variety of pollinators, including butterflies, moths, and gall-forming wasps. Dense willow thickets are also favored nesting sites for birds such as the Least Bell's Vireo and the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher.

Native Americans traditionally used the flexible stems of Sandbar Willow to make baskets, scoops, arrow shafts, and fish traps.

This plant is highly frost-tolerant.

Growing Plants in the Desert — Important Information

The information presented here is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate and based on my research from reliable sources, observations I have made of plants growing in my, and other gardens I have visited, and observations of the plants in their native habitats. I would appreciate your feedback and experience to help me educate others!

Cacti: In my experience, cacti are much happier in the filtered shade here in the low desert of the Coachella Valley. Colors are more vibrant and they bloom more profusely, especially the non-native varieties. If you pay attention to how our native barrel and beavertail opuntia grow in the wild, it is frequently tucked in the rocks under creosote or another shrub.

Light Requirements: I have found that in our desert (Sonoran/Colorado) “full sun” plants can take and appreciate the late afternoon filtered sun, especially in the hot summer months.