Salix myrtillifolia

Salix myrtillifolia is a species of flowering plant in the willow family known by the common name blueberry willow. It is native to northern North America, where it occurs in Alaska and much of Canada.[1]

Salix myrtillifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Salicaceae
Genus:	Salix
Species:	S. myrtillifolia
Binomial name
Salix myrtillifolia Andersson
Synonyms
Salix lingulata Salix pseudocordata

This willow is a shrub with two growth varieties. Low blueberry willow (S. m. var. myrtillifolia) is a small shrub under 60 cm (24 in) tall. Tall blueberry willow is a larger shrub which grows upright and reaches a maximum height near 3 m (10 ft). The plant is dioecious, with male and female reproductive structures on separate individuals. The inflorescence is a catkin up to 5 cm (2 in) long.[1]

This plant grows in coniferous forests in alpine climates. The smaller variety grows in swampy areas such as black spruce muskegs. Tall blueberry willow often occupies riparian habitat, forming thickets along waterways. It is common along the Tanana and Yukon Rivers. It grows alongside many other willow species. It is a pioneer species, colonizing areas covered in recently deposited alluvium, such as floodplains recently scoured by flood waters.[1]