Pollinator plant

Willow

Salix alba

Linked agroforestry plant data
Pollinator recipe
Sign in to use recipes

Common names

43 names · 34 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Cricket-bat Willow[1][2]
  • Huntingdon Willow[3]
  • Swallow-tailed Willow[3]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (33)
Dutch
  • Gewone wilg
  • Schietwilg[1][2]
  • Witte wilg
French
Arabic
  • صفصاف أبيض[2]
Basque
  • Sahats zuria[2]
Belarusian
  • Вярба белая, ці Белалоз[2]
Catalan
  • Salze blanc[2]
Cherokee
  • ᏗᎳᎦᎵᏍᎩ ᎡᏆ[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Bijela vrba[2]
Czech
  • vrba bílá[2]
Danish
Estonian
  • hõbepaju[2]
  • hõberemmelgas[2]
Finnish
  • Valkosalava[2]
German
Greek
  • Ιτέα η λευκή[2]
  • Λευκή ιτιά[2]
Hebrew
  • ערבה לבנה[2]
Hungarian
  • Fehér fűz[2]
Italian
Japanese
  • セイヨウシロヤナギ[2]
Kurdish
  • دار بی سپی[2]
Latvian
  • Baltais vītols[2]
Lithuanian
  • Baltasis gluosnis[2]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Wierzba biała[2]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Ива белая[2]
Slovak
  • vŕba biela[2]
Slovenian
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
  • Ak Söğüt[2]
  • Beyaz Salkım Söğüt[2]
Ukrainian
  • Верба біла[2]
Sources & name notes (3)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Salix alba — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Schietwilg — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Saule blanc — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • white willow — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Silber-Weide — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Cricket-bat Willow — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • sauce blanco — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Salice bianco — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Vimeiro-branco — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
[2] Salix alba — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Schietwilg — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Saule blanc — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • white willow — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Silber-Weide — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Cricket-bat Willow — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • sauce blanco — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Salice bianco — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Vimeiro-branco — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • ערבה לבנה — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Vitpil — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • vrba bílá — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Ива белая — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Valkosalava — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • hvitpil — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Wierzba biała — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Baltasis gluosnis — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • vŕba biela — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • صفصاف أبيض — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • セイヨウシロヤナギ — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • hõberemmelgas — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • hõbepaju — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Λευκή ιτιά — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Ιτέα η λευκή — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Salze blanc — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • 白柳 — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • 白柳 — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Hvid-pil — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Верба біла — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Вярба белая, ці Белалоз — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • bela vrba — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Baltais vītols — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Bijela vrba — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Fehér fűz — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • ᏗᎳᎦᎵᏍᎩ ᎡᏆ — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Beyaz Salkım Söğüt — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Ak Söğüt — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • دار بی سپی — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
  • Sahats zuria — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 54841; Salix alba.
[3] Salix alba — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • White Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix alba.
  • Huntingdon Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix alba.
  • Swallow-tailed Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix alba.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Botanical family
Salicaceae

Genus-level classification for Salix; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.

Sources [1]
Taxonomy
NC State Extension publishes a profile under Salix alba.

Profile-name match; no accepted-name status is asserted.

Sources [2]
Mature height
15.24–21.34 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
12.19–21.34 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Rounded; Weeping

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist; Occasional Flooding; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
Europe, North Africia, and Central Asia

NC State Extension profile. Origin reported by the source; this is not a claim of local nativeness.

Sources [2]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

High suitability
Nectar value High
Pollen value High
Agroforestry database

Complete plant information

Open full plant profile

Structure

Vegetation layer
Tree
Size
Medium
Dimensions
25.00 m high × 10.00 m wide
Growth rate
Slow
Lifecycle
Perennial
Foliage
Deciduous

Site conditions

USDA hardiness
2-8
Moisture
Moist, Wet
Soil
Sandy, Loamy, Clay
pH
Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Light
Sun

Uses

Edible parts
Leaves, Inner bark, Tea
Functions
Basketry, Charcoal, Paper, Pioneer plant, Windbreak, Timber, Pollinator plant
Edibility
1 out of 5
Medicinal value
3 out of 5

Inner bark can be eaten both raw and cooked. The bark can be dried, ground into powder, and added to grain flour to make bread. It has a bitter taste, especially when fresh, and is sometimes consumed during food shortages. Leaves and young shoots can also be eaten raw or cooked. Although they are not very tasty, they are used in times of scarcity or famine. The leaves can even serve as a tea substitute.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Salix — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 2689067; ID 7BWB; rank genus; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Salix alba — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: TaxonomyMature heightMature spreadPlant habitGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonNative range
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Main botanical heading (h1)
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Native range: Country Or Region Of Origin

    Source checked on .