Our black willow trees are Salix nigra, the native willow of creek banks and floodplains, and a fast grower wherever the soil stays wet. They ship bare-root in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes, in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500, for erosion control, pond and stream edges, wildlife plantings and wholesale buyers.
Black Willow Tree Size, Zones and Sun
Expect 70 to 80 feet of height and a spread of 30 to 60 feet, with rapid growth along the way. In the best conditions a black willow can top 100 feet, though trees on drier sites stay well under that. Black willow is hardy in zones 4 to 9. It wants full sun and will put up with a little shade, but not a lot. The soil can be clay, loam or sand as long as it stays moist, and the tree copes with flooding, silt and standing water better than most.
Black Willow Catkins and Foliage
Slender, pointed leaves open in spring along with yellowish-green catkins up to 2 inches long, usually from late March into April. The catkins aren't showy, and male and female ones grow on separate trees. Look for low ground, a pond edge or a seep, since the dry ridge is the wrong spot for this tree.
Black Willow and Wildlife
Black willow hosts eastern tiger swallowtail, mourning cloak, red-spotted purple and viceroy caterpillars. Several specialist mining bees depend on willows, and birds eat the buds and catkins.
Black Willow for Erosion Control and Wet Sites
Shallow, spreading roots hold soil on stream banks, pond edges and low spots, which is why black willow turns up in so many restoration plantings. Our guide to turning soggy yard areas into planted features and our notes on how willows handle poorly drained ground show where it fits. The bare-root trees also give you height from day one, which cuttings can't.
Good to Know About Black Willow
The wood is soft, so branches can crack in wind, ice or heavy snow. Plant it where a dropped limb won't matter. Willow roots go looking for water, so keep the tree well away from septic fields, sewer lines and drain pipes. It sheds twigs and leaves too, which comes with a fast-growing tree.
Planting Black Willow Bare-root
Black willow roots quickly where there's moisture. Plant the trees as soon as they arrive, and set them in the wettest part of the site that isn't permanently submerged. Soak the roots for a few hours first, dig a hole wider than the root spread, and tamp the soil firm. On a drier site, water weekly through the first summer, because this is a thirsty species and it shows.
Black Willow for Restoration and Buffers
Streamside buffers, pond margins, drainage swales and flood-prone fields are the usual jobs for black willow. A row on a bank at 8 to 10 foot spacing closes in quickly. The shade it throws over water also helps keep small streams cool for fish.
Black Willow Tree Sizes, Packs and Shipping
Black willow trees ship bare-root in November, in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes and packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. For bank repair, we also carry black willow live stakes.