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Prairie Willow

Salix humilis

Found in glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock; mountain bogs and fens; forests and woodlands; mountain balds; roadsides, fields and disturbed ground; forest edges and thickets. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

100
Keystone

Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
About 10 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to wet
Will it fit your yard?

Rare or protected plant. Specialist conservation planting; excluded from routine garden suggestions. Plant caution source

Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
March to May
Fruiting season
Summer

Not yet recorded · Spread

Recorded in 22 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 6

Forests and woodlands

Trail on Little Kennesaw Mountain.
Named place / source context. Shown: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia, a neighboring state.Trail on Little Kennesaw Mountain., Unidentified in HFC record, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Mountain balds

Round Bald
Grassy bald on a high ridge. Shown: Round Bald, Mitchell County, North Carolina and Carter County, Tennessee, a neighboring state.Round Bald, Alan M. Cressler / U.S. Geological Survey, undated. Public domain. Source record. Faithful JPEG display decode of embedded JP2; no AI or color enhancement. Phone derivative resized proportionally.

Forest edges and thickets

Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields
Named place / source context. Shown: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia and Tennessee; which part is not recorded, a neighboring state.Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields, Richard Schlecht, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock

Open, thin-soil openings, outcrops and cliffs on dark, magnesium- or iron-rich rock such as serpentine, diabase or gabbro.

Mountain bogs and fens

Wet, open, peaty mountain wetlands fed by seepage, often with sphagnum moss.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 133 animals.

All wildlife of Alabama

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

209CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Salix

Show all 209
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
  • Acronicta connectaConnected Dagger
  • Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Acronicta insularisHenry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar
  • Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
  • Acronicta lepusculinaCottonwood Dagger
  • Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
  • Acronicta noctivagaNight-Wandering Dagger, Burglar Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Acronicta radcliffeiRadcliffe's Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
  • Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
  • Agathodes monstralisSky-Pointing Moth
  • Agonopterix argillaceaClay-Colored Agonopterix
  • Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
  • Americerura scitiscriptaBlack-Etched Prominent
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Anacampsis innocuellaDark-Headed Aspen Leafroller Moth
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
  • Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia ivanaIvana Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Aristotelia roseosuffusellaPink-Washed Aristotelia
  • Besma quercivorariaOak Besma
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Cabera erythemariaYellow-Dusted Cream Moth
  • Cabera variolariaPink-Striped Willow Spanworm Moth, Vestal Moth, The Vestal
  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
  • Caloptilia stigmatellaPoplar Caloptilia
  • Catocala amatrixThe Sweetheart, Sweetheart Underwing
  • Catocala blandulaCharming Underwing
  • Catocala carissimaCarissima Underwing Moth, Southern Darling Underwing
  • Catocala concumbensSleepy Underwing, Pink Underwing
  • Catocala marmorataMarbled Underwing
  • Catocala piatrixThe Penitent, Penitent Underwing
  • Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
  • Cerastis tenebriferaReddish Speckled Dart
  • Choristoneura parallelaParallel-Banded Leafroller, Spotted Fireworm Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
  • Clostera albosigmaSigmoid Prominent
  • Clostera inclusaAngle-Lined Prominent, Poplar Tent Maker, Poplar Leaf-Tier
  • Coelodasys apicalisPlain Schizura
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Colobochyla interpunctaYellow-Lined Owlet, Marsh Belle
  • Condylolomia participalisDrab Condylolomia
  • Condylorrhiza vestigialisThe Alamo Moth
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Cyclophora pendulinariaSweetfern Geometer
  • Cydia gallaesalicianaWillow Gall Moth
  • Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira obliquataStreaked Tussock Moth
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Digrammia gnophosariaHollow-Spotted Angle
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Egira alternansAlternate Woodling
  • Elophila obliteralisWaterlily Leafcutter Moth
  • Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
  • Euchlaena deductariaForked Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena johnsonariaJohnson's Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
  • Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
  • Eudryas unioPearly Wood-Nymph
  • Euparthenos nubilisLocust Underwing
  • Euphyia intermediataSharp-Angled Carpet Moth, The Intermediate
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Gesta icelusDreamy Duskywing
  • Glena cribratariaDotted Gray
  • Gluphisia septentrionisCommon Gluphisia
  • Gypsonoma salicicolanaSmall Gypsonoma
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Haploa clymeneClymene Moth
  • Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
  • Haploa reversaReversed Haploa
  • Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
  • Hedya separatanaPink-Washed Leafroller Moth
  • Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Hypercompe scriboniaGiant Leopard Moth, Great Leopard Moth
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
  • Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
  • Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
  • Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
  • Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
  • Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
  • Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
  • Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
  • Lithophane lemmeriLemmer's Pinion
  • Lithophane petulcaWanton Pinion
  • Macaria coortariaFour-Spotted Angle, Four-Spotted Granite
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Meganola minusculaConfused Meganola, Confused Oak Punkie
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
  • Melipotis jucundaMerry Melipotis
  • Metanema inatomariaPale Metanema
  • Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
  • Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
  • Nycteola frigidanaFrigid Baileya, Frigid Nycteola, Frigid Owlet
  • Nycteola metaspilellaSienna-Dotted Nycteola, Forgotten Frigid Owlet
  • Ochropleura implectaAmerican Flame-Shouldered Dart
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
  • Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
  • Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
  • Olethreutes fasciatanaBanded Olethreutes
  • Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthodes majusculaRustic Quaker, Rustic Groundcat
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Oxydia vesuliaSpurge Spanworm Moth
  • Pachysphinx modestaModest Sphinx, The Big Poplar Sphinx
  • Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Panopoda carneicostaBrown Panopoda, Hickory Panopoda
  • Panopoda rufimargoRed-Lined Panopoda
  • Paonias astylusHuckleberry Sphinx
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Paranthrene dolliiPoplar Borer
  • Paranthrene tabaniformisDusky Clearwing
  • Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
  • Pero ancetariaHubner's Pero
  • Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
  • Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
  • Pheosia rimosaBlack-Rimmed Prominent, Mirrowbacked Caterpillar
  • Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
  • Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
  • Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
  • Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
  • Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
  • Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
  • Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
  • Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
  • Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
  • Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
  • Pococera aplastellaAspen Webworm Moth
  • Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
  • Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Protitame virginalisVirgin Moth
  • Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
  • Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
  • Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier Moth
  • Pyromorpha dimidiataOrange-Patched Smoky Moth
  • Raphia fraterThe Brother, Yellow-Marked Caterpillar
  • Rheumaptera prunivorataFerguson's Scallop Shell, Cherry Scallop Shell
  • Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Scoliopteryx libatrixThe Herald
  • Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Sunira bicoloragoBicolored Sallow
  • Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
  • Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
  • Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
  • Thalera pistasciariaPistachio Emerald
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
  • Tortricidia pallidaRed-Cross Button Slug
  • Xanthorhoe lacustrataToothed Brown Carpet
  • Xystopeplus rufagoRed-Winged Sallow
  • Zale lunataLunate Zale
  • Zale minereaColorful Zale
  • Eupithecia swettii
  • Framinghamia helvalis
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
39BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Salix

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
16Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Salix

  • Andrena andrenoides
  • Andrena arenicola
  • Andrena bisalicis
  • Andrena clarkella
  • Andrena erythrogaster
  • Andrena frigida
  • Andrena illinoiensis
  • Andrena macoupinensis
  • Andrena mariae
  • Andrena nida
Show all 16
  • Andrena nigrae
  • Andrena salictaria
  • Andrena sigmundi
  • Andrena subaustralis
  • Andrena wellesleyana
  • Perdita maculigera
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
9BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Salix

  • Acanthis flammeaCommon Redpoll
  • Anser caerulescensSnow Goose
  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
  • Lagopus lagopusWillow Ptarmigan
  • Lagopus leucuraWhite-tailed Ptarmigan
  • Lagopus mutaRock Ptarmigan
  • Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
  • Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Beetles 1
  • Ellychnia corrusca

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Flies 7
  • Brachypalpus frontosus
  • Eristalis latifrons
  • Orthoneura nitida
  • Phormia regina
  • Sepsis violacea
  • Sphaerophoria cylindrica
  • Syrphus americanus

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Other wasps 1
  • Ichneumon funestus

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Other insects 3
  • Euschistus variolarius
  • Lygaeus turcicus
  • Lygus pratensis

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

No records yet · Ants · Adult butterflies / moths

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Salicaceae
Soil pH
Neutral
Flower color
Yellow
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Several stems
Foliage color
Dark green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Summer
Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “March to May” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Foliage color · “Dark green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit ends · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Height · “About 10 feet” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Minnesota Wildflowers, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Leaves · “Deciduous” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  • Leaf retention · “Deciduous” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Life cycle · “Perennial” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (ranked first; Minnesota Wildflowers differs)
  • Light · “Full sun” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
  • Soil · “wet to moderately dry” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
  • Soil pH · “Neutral” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Conservation status

Alabama rankS2S3
Global rankG5
AL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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