Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Pussy Willow

Salix discolor

Muhl.

Pussy Willow

G5Secure Found in 11 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.144049
Element CodePDSAL020V0
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
Other Common Names
pussy willow (EN) Saule discolore (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 Date1984-09-06
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
Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) occurs in northern North America, in Canada from Newfoundland and Labrador to eastern British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories, and in the United States south to Virginia, Missouri, and Colorado. There are estimated to be more than 2000 occurrences. Threats to Pussy 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
Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) occurs in northern North America, in Canada and the northern United States. It occurs across Canada from Newfoundland and Labrador to eastern British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories, in the United States from Maine to Idaho and south to Virginia, Missouri, and Colorado. Range extent was estimated to be 9.2 million square kilometers, using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (FNA 2010, GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 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 2000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Pussy 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

Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) occurs along the marshy margins of ponds, streams, and open alluvial woods, in fens, calcareous wetlands, and seepage areas, on peaty substrates, and in disturbed areas (FNA 2010, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2024).

Reproduction

Flowers from early April to late May (FNA 2010).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
Prince Edward IslandS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS5Yes
LabradorS4Yes
QuebecS5Yes
New BrunswickS5Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesSNRYes
ManitobaS5Yes
OntarioS5Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
MichiganSNRYes
IllinoisS3Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
KentuckySHYes
IdahoSNRYes
MissouriS1Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
DelawareSUYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
ColoradoS1Yes
IowaS4Yes
WyomingS3Yes
OhioSNRYes
New JerseyS4Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
MontanaS3Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
MarylandSHYes
VirginiaS1Yes
West VirginiaS2Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
VermontS5Yes
North CarolinaSNANo
Rhode IslandSNRYes
North DakotaSNRYes
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)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationDECIDUOUS, SPRING-FLOWERING
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (11)
Michigan (1)
AreaForestAcres
Norwich Plains Revised Roadless AreaOttawa National Forest4,360
New Hampshire (2)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
North Carolina (3)
AreaForestAcres
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
Utah (2)
AreaForestAcres
418017Uinta National Forest19,631
Dairy ForkManti-Lasal National Forest30,222
Vermont (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
References (7)
  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. Little, E.L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). Agriculture Handbook No. 541. U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. 375 pp.
  6. 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).
  7. 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.