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Salix exigua

Common name:	Coyote Willow	Family:	Salicaceae
Author:	Nutt.	Botanical references:	11, 200, 274
Synonyms:	Salix interior (Rowlee.), Salix argophylla (Nutt.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	N. America - Alaska to New Brunswick, south through central N. America to Texas.
Habitat:	Forms thickets in estuaries and swamps[199]. Sandy gravelly or mucky soils in or along watercourses, often invading fresh sandbars in rivers and streams[229].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	S. exigua ssp. interior[B,P] S. exigua subsp. interior[G] S. exigua var. angustissima[B,P] S. exigua var. exterior[B,P] S. exigua var. luteosericea[B,P] S. exigua var. nevadensis[B,P] S. exigua var. parishiana[B] S. exigua var. pedicellata[B,P] S. exigua var. stenophylla[B,P] S. exigua var. virens[B,P] S. fluviatilis var. argophylla[B,P] S. fluviatilis var. sericans[B,P] S. fluviatilis var. sessilifolia[B] S. hindsiana[B] S. hindsiana var. leucodendroides[B] S. hindsiana var. parishiana[B] S. hindsiana var. tenuifolia[B,P] S. interior var. angustissima[B,P] S. interior var. exterior[B,P] S. interior var. luteosericea[B,P] S. interior var. pedicellata[B,P] S. interior var. wheeleri[B,P] S. linearifolia[B,P] S. longifolia[B,G,P] S. longifolia var. angustissima[P] S. longifolia var. argophylla[B,P] S. longifolia var. exigua[B,P] S. longifolia var. interior[B,P] S. longifolia var. opaca[B,P] S. longifolia var. pedicellata[B,P] S. longifolia var. sericans[B,P] S. longifolia var. sessilifolia[B] S. longifolia var. wheeleri[B,P] S. luteosericea[B,P] S. macrostachya[B] S. macrostachya var. cusickii[B] S. macrostachya var. leucodendroides[B] S. malacophylla[B,P] S. nevadensis[B,P] S. parishiana[B] S. rubra[B,P] S. sessilifolia[B] S. sessilifolia var. hindsiana[B] S. sessilifolia var. leucodendroides[B] S. sessilifolia var. villosa[B] S. stenophylla[B,P] S. thurberi[B,P] S. wheeleri[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Narrow-leaf Willow [B], Sand Bar Willow [L], Sandbar Willow [FEIS,P,DEN2,L,B],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Salicales. Willow family
Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds	From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia , DEFRA Injurious Weeds
	Listed as noxious/invasive for: New South Wales.

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 9m. It is hardy to zone 2 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen in June. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist or wet soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Canopy, Secondary.

Edible Uses

Drink.

The leaves have been used to make a drink like orange juice[257].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Anodyne; Astringent; Febrifuge.

The bark has been used in the treatment of sore throats, coughs and certain fevers[257].
A decoction of the dried roots has been used in the treatment of venereal diseases[257].
The fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin[226], which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body[213]. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge[226].

Other Uses

Baby care; Basketry; Fibre; Pioneer; Soil reclamation; Soil stabilization; String; Teeth.

The flexible branches are used in basket making[226, 257]. The plant is usually coppiced annually when grown for basket making, though it is possible to coppice it every two years if thick poles are required as uprights.
The bark is used to make rope and string[226, 257]. The fibres in the bark have been woven to make clothing, bags and blankets[226, 257].
The shredded inner bark has been used to make sanitary towels and babies' nappies[226].
The twigs have been used as toothbrushes[226].
Plants have an extensive root system, spreading rapidly with long surface roots that produce numerous suckers. They are used in soil stabilization projects[199] and also in reclaiming sandbars etc from rivers[229]. This is a vigorous fast-growing species that paves the way for longer-lived woodland trees. It is intolerant of much shade and is eventually out-competed by the other trees[229].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils, including wet, ill-drained or intermittently flooded soils[1, 11], but prefers a damp, heavy soil in a sunny position[200]. Rarely thrives on chalk[200].
Plants send out underground stems from which new branches sprout. They quickly form dense thickets[229]. The root system is rather aggressive and can cause problems with drains[200]. It is best not to plant this species within 10 metres of buildings.
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200]. Although the flowers are produced in catkins early in the year, they are pollinated by bees and other insects rather than by the wind[11].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - must be surface sown as soon as it is ripe in late spring. It has a very short viability, perhaps as little as a few days.
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, November to February in a sheltered outdoor bed or planted straight into their permanent position and given a good weed-suppressing mulch. Very easy. Plant into their permanent positions in the autumn.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, June to August in a frame. Very easy.

Suppliers

Plants For A Future is working with the following groups to try and make these plants easily available. Parts of the proceeds will be donated to so please mention us when ordering.

Wildwood Nurseries: Lower Manor Cottage
Thornbury
Holsworthy
Devon
EX22 7DD
Email: lorna@macace.co.uk
Phone 01409 261324 Fax 01409 261324
Distribution: UK
How to order: Direct from Wildwood by email/phone
Last Updated: March 03
Item: Salix satsika (twisted willow)
Cool Temperate Nurseries: 10 Ivy Grove
Nottingham
NG7 7LZ
Email: philcorbett53@hotmail.com
Phone 0115 847 8302 Fax 0115 847 8302
Distribution: UK
How to order: Direct from Cool Temperate by email/phone
Notes: Many Trees supplied on their own rootstock
Last Updated: April 03
Item: Salix exigua (Coyote Willow)

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
Images from the CalPhoto database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
[DEN] Data _ Photos (Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.
[FEIS] Data (Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.

References for Salix exigua subsp. interior (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for Salix interior (a possible synonym).

[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

References for the family Salicaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[199] Newsholme. C. Willows - The Genus Salix. Batsford 1992 ISBN 0713468815
A very readable book on the genus.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

[226] Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989 ISBN 0889025649
Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.

[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.