Salix alba

White willow

Family: Salicaceae · Type: tree · Not Native

White willow is a naturalized tree found in California in disturbed places generally near settlements at elevations probably below 20 meters. Flowering from May to June, this tree produces silky, flexible branches with yellow to gray or red-brown twigs bearing lanceolate leaves with densely long-silky white undersides. Growing to heights less than 25 meters with an erect to spreading form, it develops distinctive flexible branches that become glabrous with age. Its leaves are 63 to 115 millimeters long, narrowly oblong to lanceolate, with finely serrated edges and wedge-shaped or acute bases. The tree produces catkin-like inflorescences on leafy shoots, with pistillate flowers featuring tan bracts.

Habitat: Disturbed places, generally near settlements

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: probably < 20 m

Bioregions: CA

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.