Prairie Willow
Salix humilis
In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock; forests and woodlands; roadsides, fields and disturbed ground; forest edges and thickets. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you
100
Keystone
Native to Louisiana (estimated). How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 100%
- Height
- About 10 feet
- Light
- Full sun
- Soil moisture
- Somewhat dry to wet
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- March to May
- Fruiting season
- Summer
JFMAMJJASOND
Not yet recorded · Spread
Recorded in 5 Louisiana parishes.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
1 of 4
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.
Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
184CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA
Genus host records with ranges including LA · 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 184
- 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
- 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 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 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
- Colocasia propinquilineaClosebanded Yellowhorn
- Condylorrhiza vestigialisThe Alamo Moth
- Cydia gallaesalicianaWillow Gall Moth
- Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
- Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
- Digrammia gnophosariaHollow-Spotted Angle
- Digrammia subminiataDark-Waved 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 marginariaOchre Euchlaena
- Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Eudryas unioPearly Wood-Nymph
- Euparthenos nubilisLocust Underwing
- 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
- Haploa reversaReversed 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
- Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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 excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
- Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
- Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
- Paranthrene dolliiPoplar Borer
- Paranthrene tabaniformisDusky Clearwing
- Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
- Parastichtis suspectaThe Suspected
- 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
- 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
- Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
- Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier 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
- Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
- 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
- Automeris louisiana
- Framinghamia helvalis
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 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
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
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
| Louisiana rank | SNR |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| LA status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
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Sources
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025)
- Louisiana occurrence source
- 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