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Willows are deciduous trees. They can grow up to 30 meters high as trees, but also grow as shrubs. There are over 450 different types. Distinguishing them is not so easy.

In a nutshell

  • popular food source for bees & Co
  • grow as trees and shrubs
  • Flowering time from March to June
  • the flowers are called catkins
  • make no special demands on the location

Popular with bees

All types of willow are a very popular food source for bees & co. Its flowers appear between March and June. These are referred to as kittens. Almost all willow species are dioecious, with the exception of the weeping willow. A willow (Salix) either has only female flowers or only male flowers. They are pollinated by bees. The plants make no special demands on the location. The only thing worth mentioning is their high water requirement. Willow trees can get very old. Eighty years is not uncommon.

Types from A - G

Ash willow (Salix cinerea)
gray willow

  • Growth height: up to 5 m
  • Growth: bushy, upright
  • Leaves: elliptic to obovate, serrate margin, kidney-shaped stipules, grey-green
  • Twigs: grey-green to reddish, dense, lower ones creeping
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • Flowers: yellow, ovate, upright, sweetly scented

Pale willow (Salix starkana)

Source: Dmitriy Bochkov, Salix starkana 76405246, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 4.0
  • Growth height: 1 m
  • Habit: shrubby, prostrate to arching and ascending
  • Leaves: lanceolate to ovate, half-kidney-shaped stipules, serrate margins, shiny olive-green on top, blue-green underneath
  • Twigs: thin, bare, reddish brown to crimson
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • flowers: pendent, elliptic, yellow-green

Engadin willow (Salix hastata "Wehrhahnii")
spit willow

  • Growth height: 125 cm
  • Growth: bushy, stocky
  • Leaves: ovoid, dark green above, greyish below
  • Twigs: reddish brown, ascending in arches
  • Flowering time: April to early May
  • flowers: oblong, yellow, fragrant

Types of H - J

Harlequin willow (Salix integra "Hakuro Nishiki")
Japanese ornamental willow; Variegated willow

  • Growth height: 3 m
  • Growth: shrub, spherical
  • Leaves: elliptical to oblong, smooth-edged, pink-white variegated
  • Twigs: bare, reddish in color, yellow-brownish buds
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • Flowers: yellow, inconspicuous catkins, oblong

Notice: The color of the leaves always depends on the intensity of the light. Only in the sun does the magnificent foliage color really come into its own.

Japanese dragon willow (Salix sachalinensis 'Sekka')

  • Growth height: 3 to 5 m
  • Growth: bizarre, sprawling
  • Leaves: lanceolate, narrow, pointed, glossy green above, bluish below
  • Twigs: archingly coiled, reddish brown
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • Flowers: up to 5 cm long, yellowish-white

Species with K

Bald willow (Salix glabra)

Source: HermannSchachner, Salix glabra (Glanz-Weide) IMG 1309, edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Growth height: up to 150 cm
  • Growth: bushy, dense
  • Leaves: elliptic - ovate, serrated edge, glossy green above, white with a dense wax coating underneath
  • Twigs: thick, bare, reddish brown
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • flowers: elliptical, yellow

Cracking willow (Salix fragilis)
cracked willow

  • Growth height: up to 20 m
  • Growth: tree, domed crown
  • Bark: smooth white-grey to black-grey
  • Leaves: lanceolate, finely serrate margin, glossy light green above, pale gray below
  • Twigs: green, thin, flexible, yellow-red buds
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • flowers: oblong, grey-white

Osier (Salix viminalis)
hemp willow

  • Growth height: 8 m
  • Growth: often multi-stemmed
  • Bark: gray to grey-black, fissured
  • Leaves: Narrow, lanceolate, finely serrated edge, dark green above, silver-grey hairs below
  • Twigs: thin, flexible, greenish, reddish buds
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • flowers: cylindrical, grey-white
  • Special feature: long rods suitable for basket making

Corkscrew Willow (Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa')

  • Growth height: 4 to 12 m
  • Growth: upright, bizarre, as a tree or shrub
  • Bark: longitudinally fissured, grey-brown
  • Leaves: Narrow, lanceolate, twisted like a corkscrew, green above, bluish-white below
  • Twigs: spirally coiled, yellow-green
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • flowers: oblong, gray-white
  • Special feature: good solitary plant, popular decoration for vases

Willow willow (Salix herbacea)

  • Growth height: 2 to 10 cm
  • Growth: creeping dwarf shrub, woody stem
  • Leaves: round, glabrous, slightly toothed, short-stalked, shiny light green
  • Twigs: thin, brownish to black, prostrate, also creeping underground
  • Flowering period: May to September
  • Flowers: terminal, spherical catkins with 4 to 12 flowers, bright red anthers
  • Special feature: use in the rock garden, alpinium, bucket

Types of L - N

Curly willow (Salix erythroflexuosa)

  • Growth height: 3 to 5 m
  • Growth: slender, initially upright, later arching and overhanging
  • Leaves: long, narrow, dark green above, blue-green below
  • Twigs: spirally twisted, yellow-green when young, reddish in winter
  • Flowering time: February to April
  • flowers: initially silvery fluffy, later yellow

Laurel willow (Salix pentandra)

  • Growth height: up to 15 m
  • Growth: multi-stemmed
  • Bark: dark grey, fissured
  • Leaves: lanceolate, pointed, serrate with glands, shiny dark green on top, bluish-grey underneath, scent of bitter almonds
  • Twigs: flexible, bare, shiny reddish brown, light balsamic scent
  • Flowering period: June to July
  • Flowers: cylindrical, large, yellow-white, scented with honey

Almond willow (Salix triandra)

Source: By Аимаина хикари - Own work, CC0, Link
  • Growth height: 10 m
  • Growth: large shrub, sometimes small tree
  • Leaves: lanceolate, toothed, matt dark green on top, bluish-green underneath, green-red shoots
  • Twigs: shiny brown-grey when young, later scaly with an orange-brown pattern
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • flowers: slender, yellow

Reticulated Willow (Salix reticulata)

  • Growth height: 10 to 25 cm
  • Habit: prostrate, spreading, spiral shrub
  • Leaves: elliptical to circular, curved margin, woolly hairs, surface dark green glossy, underside white-grey
  • Twigs: rooting, yellow-green to olive-green
  • Flowering period: June to August
  • flowers: erect, reddish-yellow

Kinds of O - R

Ear willow (Salix aurita)

Source: Source: Willow, Salix aurita 007, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Growth height: up to 3 m
  • Growth: shrub, upright, bushy, many runners
  • Leaves: Obovate, bluntly toothed, two heart-shaped stipules (auricles), green
  • Twigs: thin, arching, ascending, gray to reddish brown
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • Flowers: oval catkins, yellow, slightly fragrant

Purple willow (Salix purpurea)

Source: Jmp48, Inconnue tourbière Aubrac 2, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Growth height: 2 to 6 m
  • Growth: upright, densely bushy, shrub
  • Leaves: lanceolate, pointed, smooth-edged, blue-green above, greyish below
  • Twigs: thin, long, shiny crimson
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • flowers: curved, slender, initially red, later yellow

Notice: The bark and leaves are used for diseases such as rheumatism, fever, flu or intestinal diseases.

Willow willow (Salix daphnoides)

Source: Robert Flogaus-Faust, Salix daphnoides RF, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 4.0
  • Growth height: up to 15 m
  • Growth: tree
  • Bark: grey, slightly fissured lengthwise
  • Leaves: lanceolate, tapering to a point, finely serrated edge, upper surface shiny dark green, underside dull blue-green
  • Twigs: initially glossy red, later bluish-white
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • flowers: cylindrical, yellow

Rosemary willow (Salix rosmarinifolia)
Rosemary-Leaf Willow

In the wild, the rosemary willow can take on interesting growth forms.
  • Growth height: up to 2 m
  • Growth: shrub, bushy, prostrate trunks
  • Leaves: lanceolate to linear, entire, dark green on top, silvery silky hairs underneath
  • Twigs: ascending, shoots have felty hairs, reddish brown
  • Flowering time: April
  • flowers: spherical to ovate, green to yellow

Species with S

Willow (Salix caprea)

Foliage of the willow
  • Height of growth: tree up to 10 m, shrub 3 to 5 m
  • Growth: compact shrubs, moderately branched trees
  • Leaves: ovate, serrate margin, dark green above, silvery below, sunken veins
  • Twigs: thin, flexible, greenish
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • Flowers: grey-white, slightly fragrant

Notice: The flowers are known as catkins or catkins. They are mainly used in Easter arrangements.

Swiss willow (Salix helvetica)

Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Salix helvetica kz03, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Growth height: 60 to 100 cm
  • Habit: Small shrub, upright, bushy, spherical
  • Leaves: elongate-lanceolate to obovate, green above, silver-grey hairs below
  • Twigs: thick with a dense layer of white felt, later dark brown, growing arching on the ground
  • Flowering time: April
  • flowers: erect, initially yellow, later silver-grey

Blunt willow (Salix retusa)

Source: Hectonichus, Salicaceae - Salix retusa, edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Growth height: up to 20 cm
  • Growth: low-lying spiral bush
  • Leaves: Obovate, smooth-edged, glabrous, glossy green
  • Twigs: rooting to the ground, short, olive green to brown
  • Flowering period: June to July
  • Flowers: catkin-shaped inflorescence of ten or more flowers, erect, yellow

Types of T - Z

Weeping willow (Salix babylonica)
hanging willow

  • Growth height: up to 20 m
  • Growth: Tree, quite sprawling
  • Bark: grey-brown
  • Leaves: elongate, tapering, jagged edge, glossy green
  • Twigs: drooping, thin, elastic, glabrous, yellow
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • Flowers: slender, cylindrical, pendulous, fragrant, yellow

Wool willow (Salix lanata)

  • Growth height: 75 to 150 cm
  • Growth: sparse, bushy
  • Leaves: Roundish ovate to obovate, wavy margin, dull green above, bluish green below
  • Twigs: thick, brownish, buds with woolly white hairs
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • Flowers: long, elliptical, golden yellow, slightly fragrant

Notice: The wool willow is often planted in heather gardens and used as a hedge plant.

frequently asked Questions

Are pastures poisonous to humans and animals?

No. All parts of the willows are non-toxic. Young leaves are even edible. You can find use in salads. The bark tastes a bit bitter, but can be used to brew tea. The ingredients contained in the willow, such as salicin, are raw materials in the manufacture of medicines.

How should willows be cared for in the garden?

In principle, they are relatively easy to care for. Young plants need to be watered regularly. Even with older specimens, the soil should not dry out completely. Alternatively, a layer of mulch can be applied to the root disc. This limits water evaporation. Compost should be added in spring, alternatively slow-release fertilizer.

Is it absolutely necessary to prune willows regularly?

Yes absolutely. It should be pruned regularly, as willows are usually fast-growing. Pruning should be done in spring. The plants are quite tolerant of pruning, and they don't mind a radical pruning.

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Garden plants