Woolly willow
Salix calcicola
Last reviewed: October 2026
Woolly willow (Salix calcicola) is a perennial shrub native to CO. It blooms in May and June. The flowers draw native bees.
Toxicity unknown
Woolly willow (Salix calcicola) 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
medium
Size
12"–48" H × 24"–60" W
Bloom
May, Jun
Native to
CO
Pollinators
native bees
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 458 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaPicture natives in your own yard
Upload a photo of your yard and Patch Vision shows a rendering of it planted with natives for your region, like Woolly willow.
A low, multi-stemmed shrubby willow with rounded, blue-green leaves and small yellow catkins in late spring. Grows in cold, rocky, high-elevation ground with an informal, twiggy habit.
Growing Woolly willow
Grow Woolly willow in full sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 48 inches tall and spread 24 to 60 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Host plant for mourning cloak, viceroy.
Early catkins provide pollen for native bees, and the foliage is a larval host plant for mourning cloak and viceroy butterflies.
Common questions
- How much sun does Woolly willow need?
- Woolly willow grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Woolly willow bloom?
- Woolly willow blooms in May and June.
- Where is Woolly willow native?
- Woolly willow (Salix calcicola) is native to CO, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What butterflies or moths does Woolly willow host?
- Woolly willow is a larval host plant for mourning cloak and viceroy.
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 Woolly willow? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.