Salix nigra aka Black Willow

Salix nigra, also known as black willow, is a medium-sized deciduous tree and the largest North American species of willow. It is native to eastern North America, ranging from New Brunswick and southern Ontario to Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and Texas. The bark is dark brown to blackish and becomes fissured in older trees. The leaves are alternate, long, thin, and dark shiny green on both sides, with a finely serrated margin and turn a lemon yellow in the fall. The plant is dioecious, with small, greenish yellow to yellow flowers that bloom in early spring at the same time as the new leaves appear. The fruit is a capsule that splits open when mature to release the numerous, minute, down-covered seeds. Black willow is a rare houseplant that requires regular watering and thrives in long-lasting, direct light less than 1 foot from a window. It prefers soil that retains moisture and benefits from a gentle, organic fertilizer throughout the peak growing season.