Salix eastwoodiae
Sierra willow, Sierra Willow
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Salicaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Salix eastwoodiae (Sierra willow) is a native California shrub in the Salicaceae family, recognized by high elevation and serrated shoot leaves distinctive.
Sierra willow is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and White and Inyo Mountains in alpine and subalpine meadows, along streams, and in talus slopes at elevations of 1,600 to 3,800 meters. Flowering from May to July, this shrub produces delicate catkins with yellow or reddish flowers. Growing to less than 4 meters tall with yellow-green or red-brown twigs that become shaggy-hairy when young and gradually turn glabrous with age. Its leaves are narrowly oblong to elliptic, 23 to 99 millimeters long, with densely woolly undersides and margins that range from entire to finely serrated. The shrub features distinctive leaf-like stipules and can form dense clusters in high-elevation mountain habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 26 sympatric species; high elevation and serrated shoot leaves distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alpine, subalpine meadows, streams, talus
Elevation: 1600-3800 m
California counties: Tulare, Tuolumne, Modoc, Inyo, Mariposa, Fresno, Plumas, Siskiyou, Nevada, Mono, El Dorado, Placer, Butte, Humboldt, Sierra, Tehama, Lassen, Amador, Alpine, Madera, Shasta, Trinity, Napa, Del Norte
Outside California: to western Canada, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico
Bloom period
Salix eastwoodiae blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Umbellularia: Willows have narrow leaves with no scent; crush bay laurel leaf for intense spicy aroma.; vs Baccharis: Willows have catkins; baccharis has fuzzy white seed heads and resinous stems.; vs Acacia: Willow leaves have one central vein; acacia leaves are compound with many small leaflets or modified into flat phyllodes.; vs Quercus: Willows have narrow flexible leaves; oaks have broader stiff leaves and produce acorns.; vs Schinus: Willow leaves are simple; pepper tree has compound leaves with 15-40 leaflets and peppery-scented crushed foliage.
Frequently asked questions
Is Salix eastwoodiae native to California?
Yes. Salix eastwoodiae is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Salix eastwoodiae bloom?
Salix eastwoodiae blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Salix eastwoodiae grow?
Salix eastwoodiae occurs in Tulare, Tuolumne, Modoc, Inyo, Mariposa, Fresno, Plumas, Siskiyou and other counties, at elevations of 1600-3800 m.
What plant family does Salix eastwoodiae belong to?
Salix eastwoodiae is in the Salicaceae family, genus Salix.
What habitat does Salix eastwoodiae grow in?
Salix eastwoodiae grows in Alpine, subalpine meadows, streams, talus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.