Pollinator plant

Goat Willow

Salix caprea

Linked agroforestry plant data
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Common names

48 names · 33 languages
EnglishYour language
+5 more namesShow fewer names
  • Kilmarnock Willow
  • Pink Pussy Willow
  • Pussy Willow[3][4]
  • Pussy-willow[1]
  • Sallow[3][4]
Other languages (32)
Dutch
French
Afrikaans
Armenian
  • Այծուռենի[4]
Asturian
Basque
  • Ahuntz sahatsa[4]
Belarusian
  • Вярба казіная, ці Брэднік[4]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • vrba jíva[4]
Danish
Estonian
  • raagremmelgas[4]
  • raeremmelgas[4]
Finnish
German
Hungarian
  • Kecskefűz[4]
Italian
Japanese
  • タンナヤナギ[4]
  • バッコヤナギ[4]
Korean
  • 호랑버들[4]
Latvian
  • Parastā blīgzna[4]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastoji blindė[4]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Wierzba iwa[4]
Romanian
  • Salcie căprească[4]
Russian
  • Ива козья[4]
Slovak
  • vŕba rakytová[4]
Slovenian
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
  • Keçi Söğüdü[4]
Ukrainian
  • Багниця[4]
  • Верба козяча[4]
Welsh
  • Helygen ddeilgron[4]
Sources & name notes (4)

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

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

[1] Salix caprea — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

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

Source records
  • Goat Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix caprea.
  • European Pussy Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix caprea.
  • Pussy-willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix caprea.
[2] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • goat willow — Page 2, column 2, row top 577 pt; common-name cell after Salix caprea.; Salix caprea.
[3] Salix caprea — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • goat willow — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • pussy willow — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Boswilg — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • saule marsault — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Saalweide — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Sal-Weide — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Salweide — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Florist's Willow — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Sallow — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Sauce cabruno — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • saule des chèvres — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • salicone — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
[4] Salix caprea — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • goat willow — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • pussy willow — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Boswilg — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • saule marsault — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Saalweide — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Sal-Weide — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Salweide — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Florist's Willow — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Sallow — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Sauce cabruno — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • saule des chèvres — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • salicone — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • 호랑버들 — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • vrba jíva — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • sälg — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Selje-pil — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Ива козья — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • salgeiru — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • selje — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Raita — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Paprastoji blindė — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Wierzba iwa — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • salgueira — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • バッコヤナギ — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • raagremmelgas — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • raeremmelgas — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • タンナヤナギ — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • 黄花柳 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • 黃花柳 — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Верба козяча — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Вярба казіная, ці Брэднік — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Այծուռենի — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • vŕba rakytová — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • bokwilger — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • gatsaule — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • iva — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Kecskefűz — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Багниця — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Keçi Söğüdü — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Parastā blīgzna — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Salcie căprească — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Helygen ddeilgron — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
  • Ahuntz sahatsa — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 55846; Salix caprea.
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 caprea.

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

Sources [2]
Mature height
3.66–7.62 m

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

Sources [2]
Mature spread
2.44–4.57 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; Multi-trunked

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]
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
Western and Central Asia, Europe

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

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: butterflies, pollinators, specialized bees.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Salix caprea in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable. The RHS recommendation applies to male plants only.

Sources [3]
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
10.00 m high × 8.00 m wide
Growth rate
Slow
Lifecycle
Perennial
Foliage
Deciduous

Site conditions

USDA hardiness
4-9
Moisture
Moist, Wet, Well-drained
Soil
Sandy, Loamy, Clay
pH
Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Light
Sun, Partial shade

Uses

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

The inner bark of a tree can be eaten both raw and cooked. After the bark has been dried, it can be ground into a powder and added to grain flour. With this flour, it is possible to make various foodstuffs, such as bread. The inner bark has a very bitter taste, especially when fresh, and can serve as food in times of famine. The leaves and young shoots of the tree can also be eaten raw or cooked, but they are not very palatable. During periods of food scarcity or famine, these are used. The leaves can even serve as a substitute for tea.

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 caprea — Plant Toolbox

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

    Supports: TaxonomyMature heightMature spreadPlant habitGrowth rateFoliageLightFlowering seasonNative rangeReported wildlife attraction
    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
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Native range: Country Or Region Of Origin
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Wildflowers

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 2, column 2, entry Salix caprea (top 577 pt)

    Source checked on .