| Peachleaf Willow
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.jpg) Peachleaf Willow (leaves) | ||||||||||||||
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| Salix amygdaloides Anderss | ||||||||||||||
The Peachleaf Willow (Salix amygdaloides) is a species of willow native to southern Canada and the United States. It can be found on the northern prairies, often near streams, and accompanying cottonwoods. As both the common and scientific name suggests, the leaves bear some similarity to those of a peach tree.
It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, growing to around 18 m, and besides the cottonwoods is the largest native tree on the prairies. It has a single trunk, or sometimes several shorter trunks. The leaves are a yellowish green with a pale, white underside, 3-8 cm long and 1-3 cm wide. It produces yellow catkins, 3-7 cm long, that appear in the spring with the leaves. The reddish-yellow fruits mature in late spring or early summer, and are around 6 mm long.
The Peachleaf Willow grows very quickly, but is short-lived. It can only spread by seeds, whereas most other willows can propagate from roots or snapped bits of twig.