According to observations of naturalists and beekeepers.
Where are you?
Yellow willow is found at low to mid-elevations from Alberta to Manitoba, south to western Kansas and New Mexico, west to Arizona and California, and north along the Sierra Nevada Mountains to eastern Washington. It is lacking in the Great Basin.
This plant is present in at least 21 states/provinces in this country.
Yellow willow is a deciduous shrub, or rarely, a small tree up to 23 feet (7 m) tall, with stems diameters up to 8 inches (20 cm). The silvery-gray bark of older twigs distinguishes it from many closely related willows. The leaves are alternate, simple, pinnately veined, mostly lanceolate, with finely serrate margins, dark green to yellow-green above and pale or glaucus beneath, with conspicuous stipules usually present. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants as catkins. Staminate catkins are .8-2 inches (2-5 cm) long, and pistillate catkins are .8-2.7 inches (2-7 cm) long, but mostly under 1.5 inches (4 cm).
Yellow willow is a deciduous shrub or rarely small tree. Its catkins emerge before and with the leaves in the spring. After fruits ripen, seeds are dispersed from spring to early summer.
Acer negundo (aka: Boxelder, Western boxelder, Arizona boxelder, California boxelder, Texas boxelder, Interior boxelder, Violet boxelder)
Salix lucida (aka: Shining willow, Greenleaf willow, Tail-leaf willow, Whiplash willow, Pacific willow, Lance-leaf willow, Longleaf willow, Red willow, Western shining willow)
Populus tremuloides (aka: Quaking aspen, Trembling aspen, Aspen, American aspen, Mountain aspen, Golden aspen, Trembling poplar, White poplar, Popple, Alamo Blanco)
Salix scouleriana (aka: Scouler's willow, Upland willow)
Salix arbusculoides (aka: Littletree willow)
Salix bebbiana (aka: Bebb willow, Beak willow, Beaked willow, Long-beaked willow, Diamond willow, Chaton, Petit Minou, Smooth Bebb willow)
Salix discolor (aka: Pussy willow, American pussy willow, Glaucous willow, Large pussy willow)
Salix drummondiana (aka: Drummond's willow, Beautiful willow, Blue willow)
Salix planifolia (aka: Diamondleaf willow, Planeleaf willow)
Salix pulchra (aka: Tealeaf willow, Flatleaf willow, Flat-leaved willow, Paneleaf willow, Thin red willow)
Salix hastata (aka: Halberd willow)
Astragalus (aka: Milkvetch, Locoweed, Goat's-thorn)
Salix alaxensis (aka: Feltleaf willow, Alaska willow)
Salix richardsonii (aka: Richardson's willow, Woolly willow)
Salix lutea (aka: Yellow willow)
Allium schoenoprasum (aka: Chives)
Brassica napus (aka: Rapeseed)
Sinapis arvensis (aka: Charlock mustard, California rape, Charlock, Corn mustard, Canola, Kaber mustard, Rapeseed mustard)
Prunus pensylvanica (aka: Pin cherry, Fire cherry, Bird cherry)
