Sitka willow
Salix sitchensis
Last reviewed: October 2026
Sitka willow (Salix sitchensis) is a perennial shrub native to CA, ID, MT, OR and 1 more states. It blooms in March, April, and May. The flowers draw bees and flies.
Toxicity unknown
Sitka willow (Salix sitchensis) 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
96"–240" H × 96"–180" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
CA, ID, MT, OR and 1 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 459 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 fast-growing, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with narrow, silky-haired leaves and fuzzy catkins that appear before the leaves in early spring. Grows along streambanks and wet floodplains, often forming dense thickets.
Growing Sitka willow
Grow Sitka willow in full sun and high water. Mature plants reach 96 to 240 inches tall and spread 96 to 180 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Host plant for western tiger swallowtail, mourning cloak.
As a native willow, it is an important early-spring pollen source for emerging bees and serves as a larval host plant for western tiger swallowtail and mourning cloak butterflies.
Common questions
- How much sun does Sitka willow need?
- Sitka willow grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Sitka willow bloom?
- Sitka willow blooms in March, April, and May.
- Where is Sitka willow native?
- Sitka willow (Salix sitchensis) is native to CA, ID, MT, OR and 1 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What butterflies or moths does Sitka willow host?
- Sitka willow is a larval host plant for western tiger swallowtail 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 Sitka willow? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.