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National Champion Black Willow Salix nigra Willow Family — Willow Genus Traverse City Grand Traverse County, Michigan Circumference = 400 inches (33.3 feet) Height = 76 feet Average Crown Spread = 92 feet Total Points = 499 Nominated: 1973 by: Elwood B. Ehrle & John Spencer Cloned: 1999 by: David Milarch

The Black Willow reaches the largest size and has the widest distribution of any native American Willow. It is the only native willow of timber size, sometimes reaching a height of 80 feet and 4 foot diameter. It usually grows in wet places, but it will grow on dry soils.

Identification

Size: largest native Willow, up to 80 feet tall and 4 foot diameter

Range: from New Brunswick to Florida, west to the Dakotas and southern Mexico

Habitat:

Leaves: simple, alternate, 3 to 5 inches long, narrow, sharp-pointed. A the base of the short leafstalk, round leaf-lie appendages often clasp the twigs

Flowers: arranged in short, stubby spikes. Pollen-bearing and seed-producng appear on different trees

Fruit: minute, dense seed, bearing tufts of long silk down, in large numbers in small capsules on drooping tassels

Bark: varies from light to dark brown and black. On old trunks, becomes furrowed and peels off in scales

Twigs: slender, brittle, somewhat drooping

Buds: sharp pointed, 1/2 inch long, covered by a single reddish-brown scale

Wood: pale reddish-brown, used chiefly in boxes, excelsior, charcoal, pulp, artificial limbs

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TERRA: The Earth Restoration and Reforestation Alliance — www.championtrees.org — updated 8/14/2003