Description

The red willow grows in riparian settings throughout California, even the southern deserts and channel islands. It is only excluded from alpine regions. The red willow grows in expanding thickets of straight red twigs that mature to furrowed gray trunks. After winter dormancy, bright green, lance-shaped leaves appear. The spring blooms consist of small fronds of yellow-white flowers which mature to small seeds carried by the wind on downy fibers. Red willow is a hardy and adaptable tree for a moist setting where space allows and one desires a natural look.