Salix lucida aka Shining Willow

Salix lucida, also known as the shining willow, Pacific willow, red willow, or whiplash willow, is a deciduous large shrub or small tree native to northern and western North America, occurring in wetland habitats. It can grow to heights of 4–15 meters and is the largest willow found in British Columbia. The shoots are greenish-brown to grey-brown, and the leaves are narrow elliptic to lanceolate, glossy dark green above, usually glaucous green below, hairless or thinly hairy, and 4–17 centimeters long and 1–3.5 centimeters broad. Yellow catkins 1–9 centimeters long are produced in late spring after the leaves emerge. Shining willow grows in wet to moist sites at middle to high elevations and commonly associates with other willows, cottonwoods, and balsam poplar. It dominates many tall willow shrublands, and codominates some riparian mixed-shrublands and mixed-deciduous woodlands. It is a fast-growing, early-seral species that usually establishes just above the floodplain after initial colonizers. A continually moist substrate is required for germination and establishment, and moist mineral soil is preferred. Shining willow can reproduce from seed and vegetatively by sprouting from the root crown, and its light, cottony seeds disperse readily via wind or water. Experts report that shining willow establishes after fire by sprouting from the root crown, and it may also establish from seed on burns with moist mineral soil. However, postfire responses of shining willow are not well documented in the literature. A study in North Cascades National Park, Washington, found shining willow showed rapid recovery after wildfires in riparian coast Douglas-fir stands. Across its distribution, fire regimes of plant communities with shining willow vary widely; some communities with shining willow rarely burn and others burn in surface, mixed, and crown fires. Shining willow is an important wildlife and rangeland plant, providing browse and cover for a variety of animals. It is recommended for restoration projects and is easily propagated. Pacific Willow, a super rare houseplant, is a variety of Salix lucida that requires regular watering to thrive. It does best in long-lasting, direct light and should be less than 1 foot from a window. Pacific Willow likes soil that is good at retaining moisture and may benefit from a gentle, organic fertilizer throughout the peak growing season.