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A4192 Salix alba - Salix fragilis Ruderal Riparian Forest Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: Naturalized stands of Salix fragilis and/or Salix alba occurring along riverbanks and lakeside margins and found throughout the western U.S. and probably in the western Great Plains.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Willow - Crack Willow Ruderal Riparian Forest Alliance
Colloquial Name: Ruderal White Willow - Crack Willow Riparian Forest
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: Salix fragilis and Salix alba are large tree willows that were introduced to the United States as ornamental and/or shade trees. These have naturalized along streams and rivers throughout the western U.S. and probably in the western Great Plains. They can reproduce vegetatively and will spread slowly, and usually not far from their source planting. They appear both as individual trees and in large stands. Ecologically they compete with the native tree willows, such as Salix amygdaloides, Salix nigra, and Salix gooddingii, as well as native cottonwoods. Native shrubs such as Salix exigua, and Toxicodendron rydbergii may be present. Understory species include native sedges, grasses and forbs such as Beckmannia syzigachne, Carex aquatilis, Carex utriculata, Carex nebrascensis, Carex hystericina, Calamagrostis spp., Galium spp., Maianthemum stellatum, Mentha arvensis, and Urtica dioica, and others. Non-native herbaceous species can also be abundant, such as Arctium minus, Cynoglossum officinale, Bromus tectorum, Bromus inermis, Poa pratensis, Phleum pratense, Cirsium arvense, Melilotus officinalis, Dactylis glomerata, Conium maculatum, and others. Stands are found in disturbed places, generally near settlements, that are wet naturally or irrigated, such as riparian areas, golf courses, city parks, floodplains, streambanks, ditches and lake margins below 2286 m (7500 feet) in elevation.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Hybrids between Salix fragilis and Salix alba exist, and can be difficult to identify. Also, they are known to hybridize with native willows, such as Salix nigra and Salix amygdaloides.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Salix fragilis and Salix alba are large tree willows that were introduced to the United States as ornamental and/or shade trees. These have naturalized along streams and rivers throughout the western U.S. and probably in the western Great Plains. They can reproduce vegetatively and will spread slowly, and usually not far from their source planting. They appear both as individual trees and in large stands. Ecologically it competes with the native tree willows, such as Salix amygdaloides, Salix nigra, and Salix gooddingii, as well as native cottonwoods. Native shrubs such as Salix exigua, and Toxicodendron rydbergii may be present. Understory species include native sedges, grasses and forbs such as Beckmannia syzigachne, Carex aquatilis, Carex utriculata, Carex nebrascensis, Carex hystericina, Calamagrostis spp., Galium spp., Maianthemum stellatum, Mentha arvensis, and Urtica dioica, and others. Non-native herbaceous species can also be abundant, such as Arctium minus, Cynoglossum officinale, Bromus tectorum, Bromus inermis, Poa pratensis, Phleum pratense, Cirsium arvense, Melilotus officinalis, Dactylis glomerata, Conium maculatum, and others.
Dynamics: Salix fragilis is called crack willow because it is highly susceptible to wind, ice and snow damage. It has escaped cultivation and can form pure stands. Willows can spread easily from detached twigs floating downstream.
Environmental Description: Stands are found in disturbed places, generally near settlements, that are wet naturally or irrigated, such as riparian areas, golf courses, city parks, floodplains, streambanks, ditches and lake margins below 2286 m (7500 feet) in elevation.
Geographic Range: This alliance is known from throughout the western U.S. and probably also occurs in the western Great Plains.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.948194
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nd Western North American Interior Flooded Forest Division | D013 | 1.B.3.Nd |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nd.90 Interior West Ruderal Flooded & Swamp Forest & Woodland Macrogroup | M298 | 1.B.3.Nd.90 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nd.90.a Tamarisk species - Russian-olive Ruderal Riparian Forest & Scrub Group | G510 | 1.B.3.Nd.90.a |
| Alliance | A4192 White Willow - Crack Willow Ruderal Riparian Forest Alliance | A4192 | 1.B.3.Nd.90.a |
| Association | CEGL005622 (Crack Willow, White Willow) Ruderal Riparian Woodland | CEGL005622 | 1.B.3.Nd.90.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
- Czarapata, E. J. 2005. Crack Willow Salix fragilis L. Pages 94-96 in: Invasive plants of the Upper Midwest, an illustrated guide to their identification and control. Produced by the USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Staff, Newtown Square, PA. [http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants] [http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/crack-willow.pdf]
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
- Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. University of California Press, Ltd., Berkeley, CA. 1400 pp.