Arkansas Tree Database

Scientific name:

Salix Nigra

Size:

50'-65' tall, up to 100' tall

Leaves:

alternate, simple, 3"-6" long and less than 1/2" wide, tips tapered, with finely toothed margins and red glands at tips of teeth; bright green and shiny on both sides

Flowers:

inconspicuous

Fruit:

1/4" long, spindle-shaped capsule, with many very small seeds, each with long silky down

Fall Interest:

pale yellow; deciduous

Culture:

sun; moist to wet soil; fast growing

Disease/Insect:

Use:

dense networks of roots good for stabilizing banks; not recommended for residential landscapes; can be used for wickerwork and basketry because wood does not split when nailed; valuable pollen for honey

Cultivars:

Notes:

bark thick, dark brown to dark gray, deeply divided into broad, flat ridges with wide shaggy plates; among the first to become established on sandbars; native to Arkansas