Salix alba

White willow is a member of the willow or Salicaceae family and is native to Europe and western and central Asia. Leaves are paler than most other willows, due to a covering of very fine, silky white hairs, in particular on the underside.

• Leaves are lanceolate, finely toothed, up to 10 cm long, gray-green above and white-silky below, gradually tapering at the base. Fall colour is yellow.
• Species is dioecious. Male catkins are up to 5 cm long with tiny flowers having yellow anthers; female catkins are smaller and non-showy, with greenish flowers.
• Bark is yellowish-brown.

A number of cultivars and hybrids have been selected for forestry and horticultural use:

• Golden willow (Salix alba 'Vitellina' [syn. Salix alba var. vitellina]) is a cultivar grown in gardens for its shoots, which are golden-yellow for one to two years before turning brown. It is particularly decorative in winter.
• Silver willow (Salix alba 'Sericea') is a cultivar where the white hairs on the leaves are particularly dense, giving it more strongly silvery-white foliage.
• Golden hybrid weeping willow ( Salix x sepulcralis 'Chrysocoma') is a hybrid between Salix alba and Salix babylonica (Peking willow).