Have you spotted any blooming willows yet this spring? As Keystone Plants, native willows are extremely valuable for wildlife. Entomologist Douglas Tallamy ranks native willows as the number two woody plant family – after oaks – in their ability to support lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). And according to Dr. Robert Gegear of the Beecology Project, early-blooming native willows are important nectar and pollen sources for at-risk bee and butterfly species. So how can we incorporate more of these beautiful and critically important native trees and shrubs into our landscapes? Naturalist Cathy Smith has the answers here.
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