Salix scouleriana aka Scouler's Willow

Salix scouleriana is a willow in the family Salicaceae. Its native range runs from subarctic North America to northern Mexico. It grows in temperate regions and is not native to Britain or Ireland. The plant forms a large shrub or a small tree. As a tree, it often has one upright trunk. Its crown has a rounded shape. Virginia Tech gives a height of about 25 feet (7.6 metres). The Chicago Botanic Garden lists it as a shrub. These accounts reflect its range of growth forms.

The leaves are simple and grow alternately along the twigs. Each leaf broadens toward its tip, giving it an obovate shape. Leaves measure about 0.25–0.42 feet (0.076–0.127 metres) long. Their upper sides are dark green, with paler undersides. The undersides may also bear reddish hairs. Most leaf edges lack teeth, though some have a few wavy teeth. The edges roll under rather than lying flat. Leaves often cluster near twig tips in a fan-like pattern. This leaf shape and grouping help describe the plant's form.

Slender twigs range from yellow-brown to red and may bear fine hairs. The red buds are large and pointed. Each bud has a single scale that forms a cap. Young bark ranges from gray to gray-brown and starts smooth. Diamond-shaped lenticels mark its surface at this stage. As the bark ages, shallow cracks and scales develop. The older bark thus differs from the smooth bark of young stems.

Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. The fuzzy catkins have a yellowish-white cast. They measure about 0.08–0.17 feet (0.025–0.051 metres) long. Flowers appear in spring, as the leaves emerge. The fruits are small, hairy capsules with long, pointed tips. They sit together in oblong clusters. Each capsule measures about 0.02 feet (0.006 metres) long. It holds many small seeds, each with a fuzzy covering.

The Chicago Botanic Garden gives USDA hardiness zones 4–8. The supplied sources do not set out its light, soil, or watering needs. They also give no mature spread or growth rate. No species-level details cover garden uses, pests, or diseases. The evidence does not establish edible parts or toxicity.