Drummond willow
Salix drummondiana
Last reviewed: October 2026
Drummond willow (Salix drummondiana) is a perennial shrub native to CA, CO, ID, MT and 6 more states. It blooms in March, April, and May. The flowers draw bees and wind.
Toxicity unknown
Drummond willow (Salix drummondiana) 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
72"–144" H × 60"–96" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
CA, CO, ID, MT and 6 more states
Pollinators
bees, wind
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 460 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
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Browse plants for this ecoregion
A multi-stemmed deciduous willow shrub of streambanks and wet meadows with silvery young growth and soft catkins in early spring. It suckers and thickets over time, reading as informal and naturalistic rather than groomed.
Growing Drummond willow
Grow Drummond willow in full sun and high water. Mature plants reach 72 to 144 inches tall and spread 60 to 96 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Host plant for mourning cloak, western tiger swallowtail.
Early catkins are a critical pollen source for emerging bees, and the leaves host mourning cloak and western tiger swallowtail caterpillars.
Common questions
- How much sun does Drummond willow need?
- Drummond willow grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Drummond willow bloom?
- Drummond willow blooms in March, April, and May.
- Where is Drummond willow native?
- Drummond willow (Salix drummondiana) is native to CA, CO, ID, MT and 6 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What butterflies or moths does Drummond willow host?
- Drummond willow is a larval host plant for mourning cloak and western tiger swallowtail.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. 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 Drummond willow? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.