Black Willow
Salix nigra
Found in riverbanks, sandbars, bottomland forests, floodplain pools, tidal swamps, impoundments, ditches, other moist areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Florida edition What its natural habitat tells you
100
Keystone
Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 100%
- Height
- 70–80 feet
- Spread
- 30–60 feet
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Moist to standing water
Space about 30 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count
Will it fit your yard?
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- Spring
- Fruiting season
- May to June
Recorded in 33 Florida counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
1 of 5
Streams, rivers and their banks
Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Florida. Shared habitat, not food. 129 animals.
- Hooded WarblerWilsonia citrina
- Indigo BuntingPasserina cyanea
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- LimpkinAramus guarauna
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Magnificent FrigatebirdFregata magnificens
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Mississippi KiteIctinia mississippiensis
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
- Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
- Northern FlickerColaptes auratus
- Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
- Northern ParulaParula americana
- Northern ShovelerAnas clypeata
- Northern WaterthrushSeiurus noveboracensis
- Orchard OrioleIcterus spurius
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Purple FinchCarpodacus purpureus
- Purple GallinulePorphyrio martinica
- Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinus
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalus
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
192CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL
Genus host records with ranges including FL · 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 192
- Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
- Acronicta connectaConnected Dagger
- Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
- Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
- Acronicta insularisHenry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar
- Acronicta lanceolariaNarrow-Winged Dagger, Lanceolate Dagger
- Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
- Acronicta noctivagaNight-Wandering Dagger, Burglar Dagger
- Acronicta oblinitaSmeared 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
- Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
- Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
- Apantesis virgoVirgin Tiger 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
- 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 piatrixThe Penitent, Penitent Underwing
- Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
- Cecrita cubanaCuban Heterocampa
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
- Cerastis tenebriferaReddish Speckled Dart
- Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
- Choristoneura parallelaParallel-Banded Leafroller, Spotted Fireworm Moth
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
- 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
- Cydia gallaesalicianaWillow Gall Moth
- Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based 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
- Erinnyis elloEllo Sphinx
- Euchlaena deductariaForked Euchlaena
- Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
- Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Eudryas unioPearly Wood-Nymph
- Euparthenos nubilisLocust Underwing
- Eupithecia fletcherataFletcher's Eupithecia
- Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Furcula cinereaGray Furcula
- Glena cribratariaDotted Gray
- Gluphisia septentrionisCommon Gluphisia
- Gypsonoma salicicolanaSmall Gypsonoma
- Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Haploa clymeneClymene Moth
- Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
- Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
- 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
- Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
- Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
- Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
- Lithophane lemmeriLemmer's Pinion
- Macaria coortariaFour-Spotted Angle, Four-Spotted Granite
- Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
- Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
- Marmara gulosaCitrus Peelminer
- Marmara salictellaWillow Stem Miner
- 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
- Metanema inatomariaPale Metanema
- Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
- Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
- Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
- Nycteola metaspilellaSienna-Dotted Nycteola, Forgotten Frigid Owlet
- 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
- Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
- Oxydia vesuliaSpurge Spanworm Moth
- Pachysphinx modestaModest Sphinx, The Big Poplar Sphinx
- 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
- Paranthrene dolliiPoplar Borer
- Paranthrene tabaniformisDusky Clearwing
- Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
- Pero ancetariaHubner's Pero
- Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Sphinx gordiusApple Sphinx
- Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
- Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
- Sunira bicoloragoBicolored Sallow
- Synanthedon proximaWillow Borer, Eastern Willow Clearwing
- Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
- 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
- Trichordestra legitimaStriped Garden Caterpillar Moth
- Xanthorhoe lacustrataToothed Brown Carpet
- Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
- Xystopeplus rufagoRed-Winged Sallow
- Zale lunataLunate Zale
- Zale minereaColorful Zale
- Aethes angustana
- Clostera jocosa
- Framinghamia helvalis
- Phyllonorycter mildredae
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
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
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 2
- Ellychnia corrusca
- Molorchus bimaculatus
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
Flies 15
- Archytas analis
- Bibio albipennis
- Bibio pallipes
- Chrysogaster nigripes
- Gymnosoma fuliginosa
- Lucilia sylvarum
- Myopa pilosa
- Psilota buccata
- Rhamphomyia limbata
- Rhamphomyia priapulus
Show all 15
- Siphona geniculata
- Sphaerophoria cylindrica
- Syrphus americanus
- Syrphus ribesii
- Zodion fulvifrons
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
Adult butterflies / moths 1
- Vanessa huntera
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
Other wasps 1
- Ancistrocerus tigris
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
No records yet · Ants · Other insects
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Salicaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a–9b
- Flower color
- Yellow or green
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Growth habit
- Several stems
- Foliage color
- Green
- Fruit begins
- May
- Fruit ends
- June
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “Spring” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition, USDA PLANTS differ)
- Flower color · “Yellow or green” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
- Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit begins · “May” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- 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
- Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differs)
- Height · “70–80 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
- Soil · “Frequent standing water; Good drainage; Moist; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
- Spread · “30–60 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Conservation status
| Florida rank | SNR |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| FL status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your yard?
Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.
Choose a county to begin.
Sources
- Atlas of Florida Plants
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Florida edition
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- 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
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications