VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Salix drummondiana | Drummond Willow 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
In the West, all classes of livestock eat willows (Salix spp.), but
cattle probably consume more than others because they tend to frequent
riparian areas [38].  Drummond willow is palatable to livestock, but its
importance in their diets has not been reported.

Moose consume large amounts of Drummond willow during the winter, but
use by other ungulates is generally moderate to light.  In Glacier
National Park, moose, elk, and white-tailed deer consumption of Drummond
willow was moderate, light, and practically nil, respectively [36].  In
the Uinta Mountains of Utah, it made up 92 percent of moose winter
browse [31].  Winter consumption by moose in southwestern Montana was
also high [37].  In some areas of Yellowstone National Park,
overbrowsing by moose and elk has stunted Drummond willow; most plants
do not reach heights above 5 feet (1.5 m) [10,30].

Willows are a preferred food and building material of beaver [1].
Willow shoots, catkins, buds, and leaves are eaten by ducks and grouse,
other birds, and small mammals [2,18].  In Colorado, red-naped
sapsuckers drill wells in the stems and feed on the sap of Drummond
willow.  Heavy drilling can occur, with up to 90 percent of a single
plant's branches containing wells.  These wells serve as feeding sites
for other animals such as warblers, hummingbirds, chipmunks, and red
squirrels [15].


PALATABILITY : 
Most willows are palatable to livestock and big game [2,38].  In the
West, willows are generally more palatable to sheep than to cattle and
tend to become more palatable to stock as the growing season advances
[38].  In Oregon, Drummond willow is highly palatable to livestock, big
game, and beavers [21].  In a Yellowstone National Park study, Drummond
willow was moderately to highly palatable to elk; however, it was
considered to be slightly less palatable than yellow and sandbar willow
(Salix lutea, S. exigua) [30].  In most areas, it is highly palatable to
moose [31].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Drummond willow's protein value is rated as poor, and its energy value
as fair [12].  


COVER VALUE : 
Drummond willow often forms 6.5-to 13-foot-tall (2-4 m) thickets that
provide good cover for a variety of wildlife species, especially moose,
and excellent nesting and foraging habitat for ducks, shore birds,
vireos, warblers, and sparrows [14].  Dense overhanging branches provide
shade for salmonids [2,19].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Drummond willow is recommended for use in revegetating disturbed
riparian areas. It is especially useful for streambank stabilization.
It is usually planted as rooted or unrooted stem cuttings [33].

Drummond willow stems contain predeveloped root primordia.  Stem
cuttings develop roots along the entire length of the buried portion
within about 10 days of planting [33].  Because it roots quickly,
unrooted Drummond willow cuttings may be planted on sites with
sufficient moisture throughout the growing season to start and maintain
growth [26,33].  Rooted cuttings have higher survival rates than
unrooted cuttings.

Procedures and techniques for collecting, preparing, and planting willow
cuttings are described by Platts and others [33] and McClusky and others
[26].  


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
All willows produce salacin, which is closely related chemically to
aspirin.  Native Americans used various preparations from willows to
treat tooth ache, stomache ache, diarrhea, dysentery, and dandruff [27].
Native Americans also used flexible willow stems for making baskets,
bows, arrows, scoops, fish traps, and other items [21].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Drummond willow provides important streambank protection by effectively
stabilizing soils.  Heavy grazing in moist Drummond willow communities
can lead to soil compaction, streambank sloughing, and damage to willow
plants [6].  Drummond willow becomes decadent or stunted when
overbrowsed by cattle or wild ungulates.  Plants recover relatively
rapidly when browsing is excluded [10,35].

Related categories for Species: Salix drummondiana | Drummond Willow