Description:
Large shrubs or small trees, Sandbar willows are typically 6 to 22 feet in height and often form dense, clonal stands that sprout from root suckers. The plant is dioecious, with male and female parts in separate individuals. Male plants sprout ¾ to 2 ½” long catkins with densely packed yellowish flowers. Female plants have catkins similar in length to male catkins, but they are more loosely arranged on slender stalks less than 1 mm long. The sharply-toothed leaves are alternate, averaging 2 ½ to 6” long, and are typically between 8 and 25 times as long as they are wide. Multiple stems grow from the base and the gray bark is typically smooth to slightly rough.
Wildlife:
Sandbar willow stands provide shelter for deer, rabbits, and wild turkeys. Deer and rabbits eat the bark, and the plant is a favorite food source and building material for beavers.
Ecology:
Sandbar willow outcompetes other plants where the water table is high and forms large colonies. It thrives in a variety of moist environments, particularly along riverbanks and pond margins, as well as floodplains and prairie swales.
In the Arb:
The Sandbar Willow is the most common willow lining the Arb’s waterways. It is especially abundant in open, sunny areas in the Cannon River floodplain.