Peach-leaved Willow
Salix amygdaloides
- Plant Type
- Tree (Deciduous)
- Landscape Layer
- Canopy
- Sun
- ☀️ Full Sun, ⛅ Part Sun, ☁️ Shade
- Moisture
- 💧 Regular, 💧💧 High
- Soil
- Loam, Sand, Silt, Calcareous
- Bloom
- May, June
- Sociability
- S2 – Small groups
Pollinator Value
- 🔑 Keystone
- Salix supports 415 lepidoptera species in the Ottawa-Gatineau ecoregion, making it one of the most ecologically important genera for Lepidoptera. As a genus-level keystone, willows sustain a vast food web including prominent species such as Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) and Viceroy (Limenitis archippus). The genus also supports 14 pollen-specialist bees, underscoring its critical role in early-spring pollinator networks.
- 🐛 Larval Host
- Euparthenos nubilis, Furcula scolopendrina, Furcula borealis, Haploa clymene, Polygonia faunus, Hypercompe scribonia, Limenitis archippus, Nymphalis antiopa, Paonias myops, Orgyia definita, Acronicta interrupta, Sphinx gordius, Synchlora aerata, Hyles lineata, Limenitis arthemis
- 🐝 Specialist Bee Host
- Andrena andrenoides, Andrena bisalicis, Andrena clarkella, Andrena erythrogaster, Andrena frigida, Andrena illinoiensis, Andrena macoupinensis, Andrena mariae, Andrena nida, Andrena nigrae, Andrena salictaria, Andrena sigmundi, Andrena wellesleyana, Perdita maculigera
S17 14 Salix pollen specialists in Eastern NA; S10 confirms oligoleges on Salix spp.
- ❄️ Winter Food Source
- Willow buds, twigs, and catkins provide critical winter forage for grouse and ptarmigan. Ruffed Grouse consume Salix buds extensively (39% occurrence in diet studies), while Rock Ptarmigan (23% by volume) and Willow Ptarmigan (71% by volume) depend heavily on willow. Common Redpoll and Pine Grosbeak also feed on buds and catkins in winter.
S57 Ruffed Grouse 39% occurrence, Willow Ptarmigan 71% by volume; S10 mammals browse foliage and twigs
Ecology & Conservation
- Proximity Score
- 0
- Native Status
- ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
- Closest Direction
- Local
- CEC Eco-Regions
- 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
- Rarity Notes
- Secure (S5) in Ontario but imperiled (S2) in Quebec, where it is at the northeastern limit of its continental range. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Globally secure (G5) with IUCN status of Least Concern. The Quebec S2 ranking reflects genuinely limited populations rather than survey gaps, as only 19 herbarium specimens are known from the province.
S22 G5, IUCN LC, ON S5, QC S2; S26 not SARA listed; S54 19 QC specimens
- Rarity Ranks
- QC S2 – Imperiled, ON S5 – Secure
- Migration
- Stable
- Ecological Context
- Peachleaf willow occupies floodplains, stream banks, lake shores, swamp margins, and low wet woods throughout the Ottawa-Gatineau region. It is uncommon in Ottawa and imperiled (S2) in Quebec, where it reaches the northeastern edge of its range. Typically found on loamy or silty alluvial soils, it colonizes disturbed riparian corridors and provides early successional structure along watercourses.
S61 floodplain forests, swamp edges; S7 shores, stream banks, floodplains; S62 Uncommon in Ottawa; S22 rank QC S2
Permaculture & Companion Planting
- Roles
- Fire Retardant, Fortress/Barrier, Nutrient Accumulator, Pollinator Attractor, Water Purifier
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = High (not definitional)] | Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Nutrient Accumulator: S72 Hemenway (tables: 5-3, 6-2, pp. 82, 96)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 3 bee associations (threshold=3)] | Water Purifier: S72 Hemenway (tables: 5-3, 6-2, pp. 82, 96)]
- Notes
- A fast-growing pioneer that stabilizes eroding streambanks with its tenacious root system and creates sheltered conditions for slower-establishing woodland species. As a dynamic accumulator of calcium and magnesium, it cycles nutrients from deep soil layers to the surface via leaf litter. Its short lifespan (~50 years) means it eventually yields canopy space to longer-lived associates, making it an effective nurse tree in riparian restoration plantings.
S29 pioneer, soil stabilization, dynamic accumulator; S72 Ca, Mg nutrient accumulator; S71 evidence framework
Medicinal Properties ℹ
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.
Click here for more info →
ℹ
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.
Click here for more info →- Category
- Analgesic, Antidiarrheal, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Ceremonial Medicine, Dermatological Aid, Febrifuge, Gastrointestinal Aid, Hemostat
S28 Moerman Drug categories; S29 Anodyne, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Febrifuge
- Notes
- Cheyenne used bark infusions for diarrhea and stomach ailments, and bark poultices on bleeding cuts. Okanagan-Colville used branch tip decoctions as soaks for leg and foot cramps. The fresh bark of all Salix species contains salicin, which decomposes into salicylic acid (related to aspirin) in the human body, providing analgesic and fever-reducing properties.
S28 Cheyenne antidiarrheal, dermatological, hemostat; Okanagan-Colville orthopedic; S29 salicin content, anodyne, febrifuge
Edibility & Foraging ℹ
Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.
Click here for more info →
ℹ
Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.
Click here for more info →❌ Not Edible
Seed Source
- Localeaf