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. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition 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?

Salix humilis — foliage photograph — Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA NRCS. 1995. Northeast wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. Northeast National Technical Center, Chester. Courtesy of USDA NRCS Wetland Science Institute. · Public domain · Original photograph

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

JFMAMJJASOND

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

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.

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.

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.

Black-crowned Night-heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cerulean Warbler
Dendroica cerulea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chuck-will's-widow
Caprimulgus carolinensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Wood-pewee
Contopus virens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Field Sparrow
Spizella pusilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Fish Crow
Corvus ossifragus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Green Heron
Butorides virescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Hooded Warbler
Wilsonia citrina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Kentucky Warbler
Oporornis formosus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lark Sparrow
Chondestes grammacus
Birds. 1 shared habitat

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

Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Moth
Limenitis archippusViceroy
Limenitis arthemisRed-spotted Purple
Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler

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” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (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 rank	S2S3
Global rank	G5
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Prairie Willow

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Salix