Salix lemmonii
Lemmon's willow
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Salicaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Salix lemmonii (Lemmon's willow) is a native California shrub in the Salicaceae family, recognized by glaucous twigs and dark/2-colored bracts distinctive.
Lemmon's willow is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, southern North Coast Ranges, southern North Coast Inner Coast Ranges, California Ranges, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, and San Jacinto Mountains in streams, wet meadows, and burns within subalpine pine forest at elevations of 1,400 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from May to June, this willow produces delicate flowers in catkins with yellow- to red-brown twigs. Growing as a compact shrub 1 to 4 meters tall with brittle stems, it develops strongly glaucous or non-glaucous branches. Its leaves are distinctive, with strap-shaped to narrowly elliptic blades 44 to 110 millimeters long, featuring silky young leaves and mature blades that are acuminate with either entire or finely serrate edges. The mature plant displays sparse white and rusty hairs on leaf surfaces, giving it a subtle textural complexity.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 25 sympatric species; glaucous twigs and dark/2-colored bracts distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streams, wet meadows, burns in subalpine pine forest
Elevation: 1400-3500 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Colorado (except Utah)
Bloom period
Salix lemmonii blooms May-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 lemmonii native to California?
Yes. Salix lemmonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Salix lemmonii bloom?
Salix lemmonii blooms May-Jun.
What plant family does Salix lemmonii belong to?
Salix lemmonii is in the Salicaceae family, genus Salix.
What habitat does Salix lemmonii grow in?
Salix lemmonii grows in Streams, wet meadows, burns in subalpine pine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.