Black Willow is a common tree in swamps, bottomlands, and along watercourses, ponds, and lakes from southern Maine to northwest Florida to central Texas through most of Oklahoma & eastern Kansas & Iowa to southeast Minnesota, most of Wisconsin, and southern Michigan; plus, along some rivers in the Southwest. It usually is about 30 to 40 feet high with several trunks and an irregular crown. The leaves are 3 to 6 inches long x 0.5 to 0.8 inches wide. The old bark becomes brown to almost black that is heavily ridged. The dry fruit is a 1 inch long strobili releasing minute seed with silky white hairs that are eaten by birds and small mammals. Native willows provide food for many beneficial insects whose caterpillars and other larvae feed on foliage and then feed birds and other animals. Fast growing of about 3 to 6 feet/year and lives about 60 to 85 years. Some native nurseries sell some for very naturalistic landscapes or land restorations.

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