Plant Data Sheet
Species (common name, Latin
name)
Arctic Willow, Salix arctica
.......................................................Various plant forms of Salix arctica (4)
Range
S. arctica is a circumpolar
species found from
Climate, elevation
Alpine meadows, 2000m+ elevation.
Local occurrence (where, how common)
Common in the alpine meadows of the N.
Cascades.
.............................Salix arctica range (2).............................
Habitat preferences
Alpine meadows
Plant strategy type/successional stage (stress-tolerator,
competitor,
Stress-tolerator, climax species
Associated species (PNW)
Associated with alpine grasses such as; altai fescue, mountain sagewort, bellard's kobresia, alpine sweetgrass, one-headed pussytoes, mountain harebell, glaucous gentian, spiked woodrush, diverse-leaved cinquefoil and small-awned sedge.
Associated with some dwarf shrubs such as; four-angled mountain-heather, dwarf snow willow, polar willow, white mountain-heather, mountain-avens, bog blueberry, partridgefoot and lingonberry.
Also associated with various mosses and lichens including; awned haircap moss, broom moss,
common coral, as well as, Cetraria, Cladonia and Peltigera lichens.
May be
collected as: (seed, layered, divisions, etc.)
Seed, Spring semi-softwood stem tip cuttings (1,2)
Collection restrictions or
guidelines
Seed is collected when capsules open in late August and
early September. Seed is light tan at maturity. (2)
Semi-softwood stem tip cuttings are collected when leaf buds
have just begun to break dormancy after snowmelt at high elevations. (2)
Seed germination (needs
dormancy breaking?)
Physiological dormancy, need a 5 month cold-moist
stratification. (3)
Seed life (can be stored,
short shelf-life, long shelf-life)
Seed can be stored for longer than one year at 0°C (2)
Recommended seed storage
conditions
Seeds store at 0°C. (3)
Cuttings should be kept moist and under refrigeration (2)
Propagation recommendations
(plant seeds, vegetative parts, cuttings, etc.)
Seeds can be surface sown in flats after collection in the
fall and given a 5 month cold-moist stratification. (3)
Cuttings should be 4 to 6 cm in length and 5 mm in caliper
and be treated with 1000 ppm IBA powder. (1,2)
Soil or
medium requirements (inoculum necessary?)
Well drained sandy soils.
Installation form (form,
potential for successful outcomes, cost)
Cuttings recommended, very cheap but require treatment with IBA, see protocol. (2)
Recommended planting density
36-48 in. (1)
Care requirements after
installed (water weekly, water once etc.)
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out
between waterings (1)
Normal rate of growth or
spread; lifespan
Grows as a shrub that rarely exceeds more
than 60 centimeters in height and forms dense mats.
Sources cited
1. http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=plant_profile.cgi&symbol=SAAR27
2. Baskin, Carol C.; Baskin, Jerry M. 2002. Propagation protocol for production of container Salix arctica Pall. plants;
3. Evans, Jeff. 2001.
Propagation protocol for vegetative production of container Salix arctica Pall. plants (800 ml
containers);
4.http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?text_only=0&display1=image+ID+num&where-calrecnum=7261.
5. Standards
for broad terrestrial ecosystem classification and mapping for
Data compiled by (student
name and date)
Nick Ostrovsky