Shining willow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shining willow |
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| Salix lucida lucida | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Salix
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| Species: |
lucida
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| Natural range of Salix lucida subsp. lucida (green) subsp. lasiandra (blue) |
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The Salix lucida, also known as the shining willow, Pacific willow, or whiplash willow, is a type of willow tree. It grows naturally in northern and western North America. You can often find it in wetland areas, which are places with lots of water.
Contents
About the Shining Willow
The shining willow is a deciduous plant. This means it loses its leaves every autumn. It can grow as a large shrub or a small tree. It usually reaches a height of 4–11 m (13–36 ft).
What the Shining Willow Looks Like
The branches of the shining willow are usually greenish-brown to grey-brown. Its leaves are long and narrow, shaped like a spear. They are about 4 to 17 centimeters long and 1 to 3.5 centimeters wide.
The top side of the leaves is a shiny dark green. The underside is often a duller, bluish-green color. The leaves can be smooth or have a few thin hairs.
Shining Willow Flowers
The flowers of the shining willow are yellow and look like fuzzy cat's tails. These are called catkins. They are about 1 to 9 centimeters long. The catkins appear in late spring, after the leaves have already started to grow.
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Types of Shining Willow
There are a few different types, or subspecies, of the shining willow. They each grow in slightly different areas:
- S. l. lucida is known as the shining willow. It grows from Newfoundland west to eastern Saskatchewan. You can also find it south to Maryland and South Dakota.
- S. l. lasiandra is called the Pacific willow. It grows from Alaska east to the Northwest Territory. Its range extends south to California and New Mexico.
- S. l. caudata is known as the whiplash willow. It grows in the western parts of North America, from eastern British Columbia south to eastern California and Nevada. Some scientists consider this type to be part of S. l. lasiandra.
Related Willow Species
The shining willow is very similar to another type of willow called Salix pentandra. This related willow grows in Europe and Asia.
See also
In Spanish: Salix lucida para niños
