Hello, I have found a few of these growing in my garden, in nicasio, ca. This one is under a year old. I hope there is enough information in the attached images to id. Thanks! -Maricela
It's a willow (Salix). Look for parent plants in vicinity, seeds are wind-dispersed. Otherwise, they might have come in with purchased plants. Sometimes related cottonwoods (Populus) have narrow leaves when young as well, but my first choice would be willow. A more serious student of this group could look at your picture and rule out one or the other. This particular specimen resembles one of the garden forms of white willow (S. alba) with extra red shoots (this species is naturalized in North America) but it doesn't have to be: I have seen native Pacific willow (S. lucida ssp. lasiandra) with very red stems as well.
Looks alot like plants sold as coralbark willow (S. alba 'Britzensis') or carmine-twig willow (S. alba 'Chermesina'). The first was "Raised from seed by Spath nursery at Britz, near Berlin, Germany. In cultivation </_1878. A male clone of S. alba var. vitellina. Similar to and confused with the 1840 S. alba 'Chermesina'. The name 'Britzensis' has been applied to more than one clone. All have in common attractive winter twig color." - Jacobson, NORTH AMERICAN LANDSCAPE TREES (Ten Speed Press)
