Plant Name
Scientific Name: Salix gooddingii
Synonyms: Salix nigra var. vallicola, S. vallicola
Common Names: Goodding's Willow, Gooding Black Willow
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial, Deciduous
Growth Habit: Tree
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Riparian. This deep-rooted tree grows in and along streams and washes in the desert, uplands, and mountains up to 7000 feet (2134 m) in elevation.
Flower Color: Inconspicuous (green)
Flowering Season: Spring
Height: To 40 feet (12.2 m) tall
Description: These trees are dioecious and have tiny, green flowers. The female flowers are in 3 1/2 inch (8.9 cm) long catkins and are followed by capsular fruits containing cottony seeds. The leaves are shiny, green on both sides, finely toothed, narrowly lanceolate in shape, and slightly curved to one side. The twigs are yellow. The bark is rough, deeply furrowed, and dark blackish brown in color.
Special Characteristics
Allergenic – The pollen is a severe allergen.
Edible – The flower catkins, tender inner bark, and sap are edible. This plant has also been used for medicinal purposes since the bark contains salicin, a precursor of aspirin.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Dilleniidae
Order: Salicales
Family: Salicaceae – Willow family
Genus: Salix L. – willow
Species: Salix gooddingii C.R. Ball – Goodding's willow
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