Carolina willow
Salix caroliniana
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Carolina willow (Salix caroliniana) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
high
Size
120"–360" H × 96"–240" W
Bloom
Feb, Mar, Apr
Native to
AL, AR, DC, FL and 18 more states
Pollinators
bees, flies
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaBrowse plants for this ecoregion
A fast-growing, multi-trunked willow with narrow lance-shaped leaves and small yellow catkins in early spring. Develops a loose, spreading, informal canopy along riverbanks and wet ditches, dropping catkins and leaves through the season.
Wildlife value
Host plant for viceroy, mourning cloak.
Early catkins are a key spring pollen source for native bees, and the foliage hosts viceroy and mourning cloak caterpillars.
Common questions
- How much sun does Carolina willow need?
- Carolina willow grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Carolina willow bloom?
- Carolina willow blooms in February, March, and April.
- Where is Carolina willow native?
- Carolina willow (Salix caroliniana) is native to AL, AR, DC, FL and 18 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What butterflies or moths does Carolina willow host?
- Carolina willow is a larval host plant for viceroy and mourning cloak.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Carolina willow? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
Planning a bed around it? Start a free plan with this plant
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