BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Salix gooddingii | Goodding Willow 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Goodding willow is a fast-growing, deciduous, dioecious, native shrub or
tree.  It attains a height of 20 to 60 feet (6-18 m) and has an average
d.b.h. of 30 inches (76.2 cm).  Leaves are 2 to 4 inches (5-10 cm) long;
female catkins are 1.5 to 3.2 inches (4-8 cm) long.  Fruits are
capsular.  The bark of Goodding willow is thick, rough, and deeply
furrowed [5,18,19,31].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Sexual reproduction:  Goodding willow begins producing seed at 2 to 10
years of age.  Optimum seed-bearing age of willows is 25 to 75 years,
and large seed crops are produced annually.  The minute, hairy seed is
dispersed by wind and water and does not exhibit dormancy.  Seed remains
viable for only a few days.  Germination is epigeal and usually occurs
within 12 to 24 hours.  Seedling establishment is best on moist, bare
soils.  Both fire and flood create favorable seedbed conditions
[5,6,20].

Vegetative reproduction:  Goodding willow sprouts from the root crown
[6,22].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Goodding willow occurs in riparian zones.  Sites are typically
seasonally inundated by water and have shallow water tables and
fine-grained alluvial soils.  Goodding willow grows well in the pH range
of 6 to 7 and tolerates alkaline desert soils [13,20,25].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Obligate Initial Community Species

Goodding willow is an initial to early seral species.  It has very low
shade tolerance but high flood tolerance [14,20].  It does not sprout
beneath its own canopy.  Gooding willow seedlings compete poorly with
grasses [27].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Catkins of Goodding willow appear in early March.  Seeds ripen and are
dispersed in early spring [5,18,27].

Related categories for Species: Salix gooddingii | Goodding Willow