Copyright © 1995 Brother Eric Vogel, St. Mary's College

Yellow Willow
Salix Luta  Nutt

Yellow Willow-herb is an upright to spreading, bushy wildflower. It may grow from 15 to 70 cm tall. The stems are slender with opposite, almost sessile leaves. The numerous leaves are finely toothed, to 7.5 cm long, and lanceolate to ovate in shape. The flowers appear singly from the upper leaf axils, and are 4-petaled. The flowers are a creamy light yellow color, and may be as much as 2 cm long. The petals are obcordate in shape, 14 to 18 mm long. The petals overlap so the flower looks partly closed. In addition, the flowers have 4 sepals and 8 stamens.

Yellow Willow-herb is a wildflower of open, moist meadows and stream sides Found in area of forests at elevations between 5000 and 9500 feet and almost always under natural wet conditions.