Family: Salicaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Broad climate suitability
- Naturalized in Australia, New Zealand and possibly North America
- An environmental weed in Australia and New Zealand, reducing native biodiversity
- Other Salix species are invasive
- Tolerates many soil types
- Forms dense stands
- Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by suckers
- Hybridizes with other species
- Reaches maturity in 2-3 years
- Seeds dispersed by wind, water, internally by horses and possibly other browsing animals, and intentionally by people
- Stem fragments dispersed by water
- Prolific seed production
- Able to resprout after cutting
Low Risk Traits:
- Native to temperate regions, may limit ability to invade to higher elevations in tropical island ecosystems
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Palatable to deer, moose and potentially other browsing animals
- Non-toxic
- Dioecious
- Recalcitrant seeds lose viability rapidly (within 6 weeks)
- Herbicides provide effective control