MacKenzie Willow

MacKenzie Willow (Salix rigida, Salix prolixa), is also sometimes known as Diamond Willow, or Yellow Willow. It is often used in wetland restoration and is important habitat, cover, browsing, and food for wildlife. Beavers prefer to eat willows for food and use them for building material. MacKenzie Willow grows best in fine textured soils with moderate to high levels of water. Bark is light to reddish-brown, glabrous, and sometimes with sparkling wax crystals. The leaves are 1.5 to 5 inches, lanceolate to elliptic, green above, pale and glaucous below, often with finely toothed margins. Fun fact, there are 12 different varieties of MacKenzie Willow!

Height: Up to 30 feet

Bud: Catkins appear with new leaves

Flower Color: White, cream, or yellow

Bloom Time: Spring through early Summer

USDA PLANTS Database Link

https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_sapr3.pdf

Fatty Fingers Cinquefoil

Fatty Fingers Cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis var. permollis), is a native perennial forb that grows more commonly in Eastern Latah County, where as the Slender Cinquefoil is more common in Western Latah County. Fatty Fingers stems are branched at the base, and the leaves are palmately compound in 7-9 segments. The leaves of Fatty Fingers are less deeply serrated than that of the Slender Cinquefoil. Both Slender and Fatty Fingers Cinquefoil leaves have a white underside compared to the invasive Sulfur Cinquefoil which does not.

Life Cycle: Perennial

Bloom Color: Yellow

Bloom Time: June through September

USDA PLANTS Database Link

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=POGRF2

Black Cottonwood

Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), is sometimes known as Western Balsam Poplar, California Poplar, or Balm of Gilead. It is a deciduous tree that grows East of the Cascades in moist forests and riparian areas. It is often used in conservation and restoration because it is fast growing and can get very large, providing important shade and habitat for wildlife. It is the largest poplar in the Americas, and hybrids are used for industry. The bark is grey to greyish brown and deeply furrowed, and the new growth is green. Leaves are ovate- lancelolate, 1-3" wide and 3-5" long, finely toothed, and darker green on top. Fun fact, it was the first tree genome to be sequenced!

Height: 100-150 feet

Bud: Pendant catkins, dioesious

Cones: Globular capsules split to release seed with "cotton"

USDA PLANTS Database Link

https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_pobat.pdf

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