Salix nivalis

Snow willow

Family: Salicaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Snow willow is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native shrub found in central Sierra Nevada Mountains near Mount Dana in alpine cirques at elevations of 3,100 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces small flowers in delicate catkins with tan to light rose bracts. Growing as a low-spreading mat less than 10 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters with yellow- or red-brown twigs. Its leaves are small and elliptic to obovate, measuring 6 to 22 millimeters long, with a subtle convex surface and occasionally silky undersides. The plant has distinctive features including glabrous young leaves and compact growth adapted to harsh alpine environments.

Habitat: Alpine cirques

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: 3100-3500 m

Bioregions: c SNH (near Mount Dana)

California counties: Mono, Tuolumne

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.