Common Cattail vs Diamond-Leaf Willow - TreeTime.ca

Common Cattail vs Diamond-Leaf Willow

Typha latifolia

Salix planifolia

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Common Cattail
Diamond-Leaf Willow

Cattail is found all across North America, growing next to water. Like other waterside plants, Cattail provides erosion control and forage for animals.

It is suitable for land reclamation. Cattail is able to tolerate cold weather and occasional flooding.

Diamond-Leaf Willow is a native deciduous shrub known for its glossy diamond-shaped leaves, which give the shrub its name. Its catkins emerge in spring, providing an important early source of pollen for pollinators. The shrub’s dense growth also offers valuable cover and browse for wildlife, including moose and deer.

This shrub is well-suited to cool, moist habitats such as wetlands, streambanks, and forest openings. It spreads by rhizomes, helping to stabilize soils and form dense thickets. Diamond-Leaf Willow is valuable for reclamation, wetland enhancement, shelterbelt plantings, and a wide range of conservation and habitat restoration projects.

Common Cattail Quick Facts

Diamond-Leaf Willow Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 1a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to spreading, ticket-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium, layering - low
Suckering: medium


Foliage: thick, flat
Bark: smooth, dark brown
Flowers: yellow and green
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: yes


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: baco, bulrush, cat o nine tails, cossack asparagus, flag, reed mace, rush
Other Names: diamondleaf willow, flat-leaved willow, mountain willow, plane-leaf willow, plane-leaved willow, tea-leaf willow, tea-leaved willow