British Native Trees
and Shrubs

White Willow Salix alba (Salicaceae)

‘And oft with anxious feeling would I climb
The waving willow-row a stick to trim,
To reach the water-lily’s tempting flower,
That on the surface of the pool did swim.’

John Clare

When the breeze ruffles its shimmering, silvery foliage the handsome white willow is shown at its best. This shapely, fast-growing deciduous tree reaches a height of 25 m, the grey bark on its stout trunk closely ridged and fissured. The main branches are erect, carrying smaller, spreading branches with young, downy twigs which become shiny brown, pink or yellow. The long, up to 10 cm, short-stalked, alternate leaves are narrowly lance-shaped with pointed tips and toothed margins, pale green above, a beautiful pale bluish-green beneath and covered when young with silky, silvery hairs which are denser on the underside. In April and May, after the leaves, the yellow male catkins, up to 5 cm long, and the stalkless green female catkins appear on separate trees. The female quickly produces fluffy fruits which are distributed by summer winds.

White willow is found in wooded river valleys and marshes and by lowland rivers, streams and ponds throughout England, although more common in the east midlands and east anglia.

It is a magnificent tree for the large garden, particularly if grown in its natural habitat beside water. Although it casts light shade itself, it prefers an open site and deep, well-drained, moist loam or peat soils and will not thrive on thin, chalky soils. It copes well in an exposed site and tolerates pollution and cutting back. White willows were frequently pollarded in the past. Owing to its water-seeking roots, the tree should not be planted near drains or close to a house. It is best propagated, like other willows, from hardwood cuttings taken in winter and grown on for a year, or from 2-year old stems inserted in situ. In this way the sex or form wanted of this very variable species can be selected. Raising from seed is worthwhile but more difficult because the seeds must be extracted from the down and sown immediately onto the surface of sterile compost, keeping moist at all times. Once leaves have appeared they can be hardened off before pricking off into potting compost, lining out in autumn and growing on for up to two years.

Soft, white willow stems were used for fencing and basket making and the light timber for bowls, plates and wooden baskets. The variety caerulea, the Cricket-bat Willow, has blue-green leaves and is cultivated for making cricket bats.

Like other willows the leaves are host to many insects including a sawfly which induces the formation of ‘bean galls’ on the leaf blade which tend to be red above and green below.

Page last updated - January 10, 2002  

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