Sandbar willow grows along rivers, lakeshores, ditches and gravel bars across most of Canada and much of North America. It spreads by root suckers into dense colonies that hold banks against erosion, and it is often one of the first woody plants on newly deposited sand and silt. The species is native and widespread in Quebec.
The name interior was published by Rowlee, and the plant has often been treated as a subspecies of Salix exigua, so older references list it under that name. Willows in general have long been used by Indigenous peoples for cordage, baskets and other crafts. Sandbar willow has been planted for streambank and shoreline stabilization and is recognized in gardens, including with the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit for Salix exigua.