Family
The peachleaf willow, Salix amygdaloides, is in the Willow Family Salicaceae. Peachleaf willows are small to medium sized willow trees that have single or branched stems reaching a height of about 12 meters tall (40 feet). The branches are flexible, shiny, and glabrous, with a green or yellow color. The leaves have finely serrate margins, are glabrous, lanceolate, green above, and pale to white glaucous below. The flowers are catkins, with deciduous bracts that are pale yellow, and villous on the inside. The fruits are glabrous, ovoid capsules (3-5 mm long) that release many small seeds with silky hairs (Stevens, 2003) (Fryer, 2012).
Range
The peachleaf willow is an…show more content… The dense matrix of roots function as erosion control and as a sediment trap, stopping sediments, nutrients and pollutants from runoff and preventing them from entering the aquatic system. These benefits protect riparian zones from flood damage and erosion, creating a sustainable healthy ecosystem (Stevens, 2003).
Healthy riparian vegetation provides many different habitats and support to a large percentage of biodiversity. The multiple layers of vegetation provide multiple niches for many species of insects and birds. The canopies of willows and other plants growing on the stream bank create shade, cooling stream water, which may be critical to some species of fish such as trout. The roots stabilize and create overhanging banks, providing better habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms.
Willow is an important browse plants for many species. Insects, small mammals and many ungulates browse on willow twigs, foliage, and bark. Several species of birds eat willow buds and young twigs. Riparian forests promote lush plant growth and higher invertebrate populations making more food available throughout the trophic levels (Stevens,…show more content… They have been used by Native Americans for a number of resources. Some of the usages include making dye, furniture, shelter, baskets, drums, tipi poles, animal traps, weapons, and meat-drying racks. Some Salix species were used as chew sticks to clean teeth by many Indian tribes. The peachleaf willow was favored by the Osage, Delaware, and Cherokee for this purpose. Another use is for food, in which young willow shoots can be stripped of their bark and eaten. The young leaves may be eaten in case of emergency and the inner bark can be eaten raw, prepared like spaghetti, or made into flour (Stevens,
