Pollinator plant

Purple Willow

Salix purpurea

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Common names

40 names · 28 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Basket Willow[1]
  • Blue Arctic Willow[1]
  • Pupleosier Willow[1]
+3 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (27)
Dutch
French
Basque
  • Sahats gorria[3]
Belarusian
  • Вярба пурпуровая, ці Жаўталоз[3]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
Czech
  • vrba nachová[3]
Danish
  • Purpur-pil[3]
Estonian
Finnish
German
Hungarian
  • Csigolyafűz[3]
Italian
Japanese
  • セイヨウコリヤナギ[3]
Lithuanian
  • Purpurinis karklas[3]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Wierzba purpurowa[3]
Portuguese
  • Salgueiro-de-casca-roxa[2][3]
Russian
  • Ива пурпурная[3]
Slovak
  • vŕba purpurová[3]
Slovenian
  • rdeča vrba[3]
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
  • Mor Söğüt[3]
  • Sepetçi Söğüdü[3]
Ukrainian
  • Верба пурпурова[3]
  • Верба червона[3]
Sources & name notes (4)

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 purpurea — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

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

Source records
  • Basket Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix purpurea.
  • Blue Arctic Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix purpurea.
  • Pupleosier Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix purpurea.
  • Purple Osier Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix purpurea.
  • Purple Willow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(5); heading: Common Name(s):; Salix purpurea.
[2] Salix purpurea — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • Purpur-Weide — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Purple Osier — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Purple Willow — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Mimbrera púrpura — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Osier pourpre — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Osier rouge — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Saule pourpre — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Salice rosso — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Bittere wilg — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Salgueiro-de-casca-roxa — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
[3] Salix purpurea — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • Purpur-Weide — results[20].names[8]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Purple Osier — results[20].names[6]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Purple Willow — results[20].names[4]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Mimbrera púrpura — results[20].names[32]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Osier pourpre — results[20].names[2]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Osier rouge — results[20].names[3]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Saule pourpre — results[20].names[1]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Salice rosso — results[20].names[27]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Bittere wilg — results[20].names[11]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Salgueiro-de-casca-roxa — results[20].names[7]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • vrba nachová — results[20].names[9]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Purpur-pil — results[20].names[10]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Punapaju — results[20].names[12]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • rødpil — results[20].names[13]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Ива пурпурная — results[20].names[14]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Purpurinis karklas — results[20].names[15]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Rakita — results[20].names[16]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Crvena vrba — results[20].names[17]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Wierzba purpurowa — results[20].names[18]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • セイヨウコリヤナギ — results[20].names[19]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • 紫柳 — results[20].names[20]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • 紫柳 — results[20].names[21]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • rödvide — results[20].names[22]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Верба пурпурова — results[20].names[23]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Вярба пурпуровая, ці Жаўталоз — results[20].names[24]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • punapaju — results[20].names[25]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • rdeča vrba — results[20].names[26]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Верба червона — results[20].names[28]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Csigolyafűz — results[20].names[29]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • vŕba purpurová — results[20].names[30]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Saulic — results[20].names[31]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Sàlic — results[20].names[33]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Sahats gorria — results[20].names[34]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Mor Söğüt — results[20].names[35]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
  • Sepetçi Söğüdü — results[20].names[36]; taxon id 54849; Salix purpurea.
[4] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Salix purpurea ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Purple Willow (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 161696; taxon 79DST.
  • Purpurweide (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 161697; taxon 79DST.
Plant references

Source-backed information

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

Taxonomy
Salix purpurea is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Salicaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
0.23–0.46 m

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

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.23–0.46 m

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

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Broad; Dense; Mounding; Multi-stemmed; Rounded; Spreading

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

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
Moist; Occasional Flooding; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

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

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
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, Northern Africa east to Central Asia and Japan.

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.

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 species in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

Genus-level guidance, not a rating for this individual species or a particular cultivar. RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

High suitability
Nectar value High
Pollen value High
Plant profile

About this plant

Basket Willow (Salix purpurea) is a shrub. It flowers in April.

Sources and references

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

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Salix purpurea — 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: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 2656108; ID 79DST; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 2656108; ID 79DST; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Salix purpurea — Plant Toolbox

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

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitGrowth rateLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonNative rangeReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • 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
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Garden Plants

    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 1, entry Salix species (top 82 pt)

    Source checked on .