Leaves: alternate, simple, deciduous; lanceolate, less than 10.2 cm long; glandular, toothed margin, petiole short, not flattened
Flowers: dioecious, in long catkins; occurring in early spring
Fruit: female catkins less than 10.2 cm long; seeds small, cottony
Bark: smooth yellowish to furrowed and brownish with age
Range: most of Western U.S., Canada to Mexico; common along mountain streams at high altitudes
Importance: cover in high-altitude riparian areas; used as an ornamental; fast-growing
Best Recognized Features:
1. Willow-like leaves (narrow)
2. Long cigar-shaped, resinous, aromatic buds with several scales