Salix commutata aka Undergreen Willow

Salix commutata, or undergreen willow, belongs to the willow family, Salicaceae. Its native range spans subarctic North America to the northwestern United States. It grows in wet sites at middle to high elevations. Kew lists it as a shrub or subshrub of temperate regions. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This deciduous shrub reaches about 10 feet [3 metres] tall. It loses its leaves for winter. Chicago Botanic Garden lists its form as weeping. Gardeners can use it for a hedge or screen. Damp woodland edges offer another place to grow it. Its size suits a shrub planting rather than a large tree role. The sources give no firm figure for its mature width.

Flowers form catkins, with bloom from May into June. Plants For A Future lists May alone. Bees and other insects pollinate the flowers. Each plant bears either male or female flowers, not both. Seed production therefore needs plants of both sexes. Sow ripe seed on the surface in late spring. Use it soon, since it may remain viable for only days. Cuttings offer another way to raise new plants. Both partly ripe summer wood and mature winter wood root with ease.

Undergreen willow prefers damp, heavy soil in a sunny spot. It also grows in light shade, including dappled woodland shade. It accepts sandy soil, loam, and clay, including heavy clay. Mildly acid to neutral soil suits it. Chalk is a poor choice. It tolerates poor drainage and sites that flood from time to time. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA zones 3–8. Plants For A Future also describes it as frost hardy. Keep its preference for moist to wet soil in mind when choosing a site.

Plants For A Future lists this willow for restoring difficult ground. It gives the plant a low food-use rating. Inner bark and young shoots may be eaten raw or cooked. The bark tastes very bitter and serves as famine food. Young shoots also have little appeal as food. Leaves appear in the source's edible-parts list, without preparation details. The source reports no known hazards, but that is not proof of safety. Its weed assessment lists no weed potential.