Silver Willow Salix alba var. sericea
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Silver Willow:
- Phonetic Spelling
- SAL-iks AL-ba ser-ISS-ee-uh
- Description
-
Silver Willow is a medium-sized, bushy, fast growing, flowering tree in the willow family native to Europe and Northern Africa. At maturity, it can reach 80 feet tall with a 60 foot spread. The crown is broad, loose, and rounded with low, pendulous branches. The leaves are long and thin with serrated edges and the undersides are silvery-white and downy. The intense silvery hue of its leaves is conspicuous at long distances. In fall, the leaves turn a pale yellow. The stems are dark green to brown and covered in thin hairs. Unique among willows, small round "glands" appear where the petiole and leaf base align.
The genus name is the Latin name for this plant. The species name is Latin for white. The variety, sericea, was given because of the silver foliage and the soft, silky hairs on the leaves.
White Willow trees prefer full sun and moderately fertile soil types. The tree needs ample moisture to properly grow and survive. In the wild, they are often found along rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds. Prune as needed in late winter to early spring.
The wood is weak and tends to crack and branches can be damaged by ice and snow. The roots are shallow and can make gardening underneath trees difficult. For these reasons, it is not usually recommended as a shade tree in the landscape. However, if the site is wet, White Willow can be a good choice.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
Susceptible to blights, powdery mildew, leaf spots and cankers. Insect pests include aphids, scale, borers, lacebugs and caterpillars.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Salix
- Species:
- alba
- Family:
- Salicaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia.
- Distribution:
- Introduced to North America from Europe and naturalized throughout North Carolina.
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) larvae which has two to three broods from May-September. Adult butterflies feed on decaying matter, aphid honeydew, and nectar from composite flowers. Members of the Salix genus support a number of specialized bee species. This tree is mildly resistant to damage by deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Rounded
- Weeping
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- White
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- A capsule that releases tiny, downy seeds.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- A dioecious species, with flowering catkins appearing on separate male and female trees. Male catkins (2 inches long) are showy with tiny flowers with yellowish anthers and two stamens. Female catkins are smaller and non-showy, with greenish flowers.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- White
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Long and narrow (to 4 inches) with serrated edges. True to their name, the green leaves have starkly white to grey undersides covered in thick down. They can be identified from other willow species by the small disks at the base of each leaf blade. Variable fall color is usually a pale yellow, but sometimes a brighter yellow.
-
-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Bark is yellowish-brown.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Scaly
- Stem Bud Scales:
- Enclosed in a single cap like scale
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The branchlets are dark green to brown and covered in silky hairs.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Pond
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Deer
- Erosion
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Weak Wood
