Salix eriocephala

Michx.

Heartleaf Willow

G5Secure Found in 8 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.129982
Element CodePDSAL020Z0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderSalicales
FamilySalicaceae
GenusSalix
Synonyms
Salix cordata var. abrasaFern.
Other Common Names
Cottony Willow (EN) Missouri River Willow (EN) Missouri River willow (EN) Saule à feuilles cordées (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Excel v3.2x
Review Date2024-08-30
Change Date1988-08-06
Edition Date2024-08-30
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2024).
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Heartleaf Willow (Salix eriocephala) occurs in northern North America, in Canada and the United States, it ranges in Canada from Newfoundland to the James Bay region of northern Ontario, west to southern Manitoba, and in the United States from Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Colorado, the Dakotas, and Montana. There are estimated to be more than 1100 occurrences rangewide. Threats to Heartleaf Willow include the loss of habitat due to conversion of natural wetlands for development or agriculture, water management and impoundment with dams.
Range Extent Comments
Heartleaf Willow (Salix eriocephala) occurs in northern North America, in Canada and the United States, it ranges in Canada from Newfoundland to the James Bay region of northern Ontario, west to southern Manitoba, and in the United States from Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Colorado, the Dakotas, and Montana. Range extent was estimated to be 7.0 million square kilometers, using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (FNA 2010, GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, POWO 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are estimated to be more than 1100 occurrences of Heartleaf Willow rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Heartleaf Willow include the loss of habitat due to conversion of natural wetlands for development or agriculture, water management and impoundment with dams.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Gravelly or rocky streambanks, riverbanks, riverscour prairies, calcareous fens, marshes, marshy fields, mixed mesophytic woods on alluvium, impoundments, and other disturbed wet areas, at elevations of 0 to 1200 meters (FNA 2010, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2024).

Reproduction

Flowers from early April to the middle of June (FNA 2010).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
IndianaSNRYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
GeorgiaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
KansasSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
North DakotaSNRYes
New JerseyS4Yes
KentuckyS4Yes
FloridaS1Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
MontanaS5Yes
MarylandSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
DelawareSUYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
OhioSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
ArkansasS1Yes
NebraskaSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
ColoradoSNRYes
WyomingSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
VermontS5Yes
IowaSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS5Yes
OntarioS5Yes
ManitobaS2Yes
LabradorSUYes
New BrunswickS5Yes
Prince Edward IslandS4Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS3Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.1 - Annual & perennial non-timber cropsSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.2 - Dams & water management/useSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

Plant Characteristics
DurationDECIDUOUS, SPRING-FLOWERING
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (8)
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
New Hampshire (4)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
Vermont (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
References (6)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2010. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 7. Magnoliophyta: Salicaceae to Brassicaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxii + 797 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Plants of the World Online (POWO). 2024. Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Online. Available: https://powo.science.kew.org/ (accessed 2024).
  6. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.