The sandbar willow (Salix exigua) is found in every major watershed throughout Colorado and is easy to recognize among the forbs and grasses scattered over sandy ground near watershed zones.
This plant is able to grow on the sand bars and cobble bars of second order rivers and is associated with annual flooding. It forms large, wide stands in rivers such as the Gunnison, Colorado, and South Platte. Soils associated with sandbar willow are sandy, silty, and vary in depth due to the flooding deposition.
Ecologically, these plants are able to colonize sand and gravel bars, providing an excellent soil stabilizer with a deep root system and flexible stems. It reduced erosion potential and builds a protected seed bed for a number of tree and shrub species. Other species found in this association include: Clematis ligusticifolia, Melilotus officinalis, Cirsium arvense, Trifolium repens (hosta/mayapple), Rosa woodsi (wood rose), and cornus sericea, in descending order of occurrence.
Trees associated with the sandbar willow include: Populus angustifolia, P. deltoides, Abies lasiocarpa, Salix ligulifolia, Acer negundo, and Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia.
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