SALICACEAE 



* 3alix exjlgua, tho Basket Willow, is ideal for erosion control 

 along bottoms where there is some moisture and where erosion is like- 

 ly to become extreme without a protective plant cover. This willow 

 is low and becomes very dense on the ground. At flood time it bends 

 downstream, allowing rubbish and water to pass easily over while the 

 roots hold the soil. This is the willow which is so abundant along 

 the Bio Grande bottom. It is to be found along many washes where 

 there is water only at flood time. It grows readily from root or 

 stem cuttings. This is the willow used by Indians in basketry, much 

 more extensively in the past than now, 



*Salix gooddingii, What is variously called Dudley Willow, 

 Goodding Will oar," oV Tocb.1 ly , Black Willow, is abundant along the 

 Lower Colorado and the Gila river:;. It grows to be a large willow 

 second only to the Tourney i Willow in our region. This is reported 

 to be tho one being so successfully used along bottoms on the Gila 

 Project. 



*Salix cxigua var. This will or;, found in the canyons in the 

 Baboquivari Mountains, is growing well in the nursery at Tucson, 

 Cuttings grow vigorously, making groat masses of rather small stems 

 and branches and the roots become very abundant, seeming ideal for 

 erosion control. It is so tenacious that it is difficult to dig 

 up, sprouting from very small roots left in the soil. It seems to 

 bo more drought resistant than many. 



*Saiix taxifolia, Yewloaf ./illow. Our attempts at growing 

 this in the nursery have not been satisfactory. It is one of our 

 most handsome and unusual willows. It has small silvery leaves and 

 old trees have broad canopy tops. The tree never grows tall but 

 does form an erect single trunk. The limbs are always pruned just 

 as high as a cow can reach as the leaves and small twigs are excel- 

 lent browse. As this tree is quite drought resistant and has a 

 tenacious root system, it is worthy of further attempts to grow it. 

 Apparently the only difficulty in raising cuttings is in obtaining 

 young wood of sufficient size, the entire tops of the trees being 

 masses of very slender branches. As this tree is confined to the 

 extreme southern part of Arizona at altitudes of 3,000 to 4,000 feet, 

 it may not be suitable to our more northern and higher sites. 



*Sa l ix bonplcndi ana var. tourney i* The Toumeyi Willow is the 

 most common large willow in Southern Arizona and Northern Mexico* 

 It often grows to be a tree one to three feet in diameter and some- 

 times fifty feet high, in habit strongly resembling a Cottonwood* 

 It has a very tenacious root system, This should prove to be less 

 satisfactory than smaller willows for erosion control. 



IJ e have other avillows in the southwest but the above mention- 

 ed group seems to be most outstanding. The avillows offer a very 



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