Carolina Willow

While generally a swamp plant, this tree can grow in uplands.  Stems root readily and most of the stems stuck in a moist substrate will survive without any further care. Is often used in stream bank restoration.



Casual lanscapes, moist areas, rain gardens or bioswales. This tree can be attractive most of the year due to its fairly fine leaves. It is at its best for a brief period in early spring when it blooms (yellow) and then sets masses of white fruit at a time when little else is blooming. Will tolerate root disturbance and flooding.

Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.



Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.

Weak wood, easily broken.

Swamps, marshes, floodplains, glades around gator holes. Open, wet, sunny areas.

• Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
• Larval host plant for Viceroy (Basilarchia archippus). 
• The species is wind pollinated, but bees harvest pollend from the male flowers.  Observed species include Dialictus nymphalis and D. tegularis (Deyrup et al. 2002).