Salix geyeriana
Geyer's willow
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Salicaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Salix geyeriana (Geyer's willow) is a native California shrub / tree in the Salicaceae family, recognized by absent/vestigial stipules and silky hairs key.
Geyer's willow is a native shrub found in southern California Ranges, northern and central Sierra Nevada, southern Sierra Nevada (especially Kern Plateau), San Bernardino Mountains, and Great Basin in subalpine streams and meadows at elevations of 1,450 to 3,600 meters. Flowering from April to June, this willow produces white or greenish flowers in small spherical clusters emerging just before or with the leaves. Growing to less than 5 meters tall with brittle twigs that are yellow or yellow- to red-brown and often covered in a waxy glaucous coating, it develops a distinctive shrubby form. Its leaves are strap-shaped to linear, 32 to 89 millimeters long, with dense white or white and rusty silky hairs on the undersurface, and typically have wedge-shaped bases. The shrub's twigs and young leaves are notably silky, with mature leaves remaining flat or slightly rolled under the edges.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 24 sympatric species; absent/vestigial stipules and silky hairs key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Subalpine streams, meadows
Elevation: 1450-3600 m
California counties: Nevada, Inyo, Placer, Modoc, Kern, Plumas, Tulare, Mono, Fresno, Del Norte, El Dorado, Alpine, Mariposa, Lassen, Sierra, Butte, Tehama, Shasta, Tuolumne
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, New Mexico
Bloom period
Salix geyeriana blooms Apr-Jun.
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 geyeriana native to California?
Yes. Salix geyeriana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Salix geyeriana bloom?
Salix geyeriana blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Salix geyeriana grow?
Salix geyeriana occurs in Nevada, Inyo, Placer, Modoc, Kern, Plumas, Tulare, Mono and other counties, at elevations of 1450-3600 m.
What plant family does Salix geyeriana belong to?
Salix geyeriana is in the Salicaceae family, genus Salix.
What habitat does Salix geyeriana grow in?
Salix geyeriana grows in Subalpine streams, meadows.
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.