Meet the Willows

Friends of Volo Bog
Feb 17, 2025
2 min read

The pussy willow is one of the earliest signs of spring at Volo Bog. Look up as you stroll the boardwalk and you'll see their familiar fuzzy catkins. But they aren't the only willows you'll find at Volo Bog State Natural Area.

Bebb's willow (Salix bebbiana)

This species was named after an Illinoisan, the botanist Michael Schuck Bebb (1833-1895). It's somewhere between a tall shrub and a small tree, producing wood that's desirable for carving. In Volo Bog, you'll see its flowers from late April to the beginning of June.

Bebb's willows at Volo Bog (Stacy Iwanicki)
Characteristics of Bebb's willow (Alice Lounsberry)

Hoary willow/sage-leaved willow (Salix candida)

The hoary willow is also called the sage-leaved willow because of the fine, woolly fuzz on its leaves. Can you see the resemblance? This tall shrub blooms from late April to late May.

Hoary willow photographed in a botanic garden (Hedwig Storch, CC BY-SA 3.0)
Hoary willow illustration (Britton and Brown 1913)

Pussy willow (Salix discolor)

The soft, furry, paw-like catkins that give this willow its name are often used in flower arrangements. They're easy to see from the Volo Bog boardwalk, because they show up in February, before the leaves of other trees have emerged to get in the way. They grow to about 30 feet tall, and the flowers last until May.

Pussy willow catkins seen from the Volo Bog boardwalk on a cold March day (Emma Flickinger)
Pussy willow growing alongside the Volo Bog boardwalk (Derek Ziomber, CC BY-NC)
Pussy willow illustration (PA Dept of Forestry)

Crack willow (Salix × fragilis)

This brittle tree is easily damaged in harsh weather. It's a native of Europe, and was brought to North America for use in landscaping as an ornamental tree. It flowers in April.

Crack willow spotted at VBSNA (Senna Bryce Robeson via iNaturalist, CC BY-NC)
Crack willow characteristics (Jacob Sturm, 1796)

Sandbar willow (Salix interior)

This willow can grow in the form of a tree or as a shrubby thicket. It's found throughout Illinois. At VBSNA it flowers from late April to late July.

Sandbar willow growing at VBSNA (Chuck Sexton, CC BY-NC)
Sandbar willow illustration (Britton and

Little bog willow (Salix pedicellaris)

The bog willow reaches the southernmost edge of its range in Volo. This iconic bog plant can be found in the northern U.S. and Canada all the way up to the Arctic. It's a low shrub that blooms in May here.

Little bog willow along the Volo Bog boardwalk (nohiketoosmall via iNaturalist, CC BY-NC)
Little bog willow illustration (Britton and Brown, 1913)
Little bog willow photographed in Ontario (Rob Routlege, CC BY 3.0)

Meadow willow (Salix petiolaris)

Spot this tallish willow in the tamarack zone of Volo Bog. You can see it flowering in late April through late May.

Branch of a meadow willow growing in Wisconsin (chdphoto via iNaturalist, CC BY-NC)
Meadow willow illustration (Britton and Brown, 1913)

Rigid willow (Salix rigida or Salix eriocephala)

Rigid willow is a tall shrub, reaching about 10 feet. This Illinois native plant is sometimes propagated for gardening, as butterflies love its nectar. (If you want to try this, you'll have to get a cutting elsewhere—no plants or plant parts can be removed from VBSNA.) Rigid willow starts to bloom in early April.