Salix orestera
Gray-leafed sierra willow, Gray-Leafed Sierra Willow
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Family: Salicaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Salix orestera (Gray-leafed sierra willow) is a native California shrub in the Salicaceae family, recognized by but distinctive gray-leafed appearance from dense silky hairs.
Gray-leafed sierra willow is a native shrub found in the Sierra Nevada and eastern Sierra Nevada in wet alpine, subalpine meadows, and streams at elevations of 1,100 to 4,000 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white or rusty-toned silky flowers on leafy shoots. Growing to less than 2 meters tall with twigs ranging from yellow to red-brown, it has a distinctive shrubby form with glaucous branches that become glabrous with age. Its leaves are unique, featuring strap-shaped to narrowly elliptic blades 35 to 95 millimeters long, with white or white and rusty silky hairs on the undersides and wedge-shaped to convex bases. The shrub's delicate leaf stipules are generally leaf-like, with young leaves displaying long silky textures that add to its soft, alpine appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 21 sympatric species but distinctive gray-leafed appearance from dense silky hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet alpine, subalpine meadows, streams
Elevation: 1100-4000 m
California counties: Inyo, Tulare, Tuolumne, Mono, Fresno, Mariposa, Amador, Nevada, El Dorado, Madera, Trinity, Alpine, Sierra, San Bernardino, Placer, Plumas, Imperial, Modoc
Outside California: Oregon, western Nevada, Utah
Bloom period
Salix orestera blooms Jun-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 orestera native to California?
Yes. Salix orestera is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Salix orestera bloom?
Salix orestera blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Salix orestera grow?
Salix orestera occurs in Inyo, Tulare, Tuolumne, Mono, Fresno, Mariposa, Amador, Nevada and other counties, at elevations of 1100-4000 m.
What plant family does Salix orestera belong to?
Salix orestera is in the Salicaceae family, genus Salix.
What habitat does Salix orestera grow in?
Salix orestera grows in Wet alpine, subalpine meadows, streams.
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.