Please help me identify this tree. It was growing with a mixture of (most look like Box Elders) trees in my back yard that are near a wetland area. The tree appeared to be 20 - 30 feet tall. I had it and two other like it and growing next to it (about a foot apart) cut down since two-thirds of lower branches were dying. After cutting it down I notice a little white fluff on what appeared to be the dangling seedpods (picture attached) and the next day all of the still green branches was full of white fluffy cotton looking stuff (picture attached). Also attached is a picture of the leaves only.
Bay willow aka bay-leaf willow aka laurel willow (Salix pentandra), native of Europe and northern Asia. Introduced in N. America. Cheers Harri Harmaja http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/harmaja/index.htm
I'd say Salix lucida (Shining Willow) - native to Indiana, closely related to S. pentandra, "differs from S. pentandra in having a long drawn-out point to the narrower leaf" (W J Bean), which fits your specimen perfectly. USDA Plants Profile page for Salix lucida: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SALU BTW, yes, the white fluff contains the seeds (tiny little speck-sized seeds), the fluff helps them blow a long way in the wind to disperse.
