Side by side
Almond willow or white willow? How to tell them apart
Salix triandra · Salix alba
How to tell them apart – almond willow: shrubby willow with glossy, hairless, evenly toothed leaves and bark that flakes off in patches on older stems, like a plane tree; white willow: leaves silvery and silky on both sides, a large tree.
Photo: Original uploader was GerardM at nl.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Almond willow Salix triandra
How do you recognise them?
- Almond willow
- Shrubby willow with glossy, hairless, evenly toothed leaves and bark that flakes off in patches on older stems, like a plane tree.
- White willow
- Long, narrow leaf, silvery-hairy on both sides; from a distance the tree looks silver-grey.
- Compared with almond willow: leaves silvery and silky on both sides; a large tree.
| Almond willow | White willow | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 5–10 cm, lanceolate, evenly toothed and hairless; upper side glossy dark green, underside dull green or bluish-grey. Large, ear-shaped stipules that persist. | Alternate, lance-shaped, 5–10 cm, finely toothed; both sides (especially the underside) silky and silvery-hairy. |
| Flowering | Slender, scented catkins in April–May, together with the leaves; the male flowers have three stamens (April–May). | Catkins in April; male and female on separate trees (April). |
| Fruit | Fluffy seeds in June. | Fluffy seeds in May–June. |
| Bark | Hairless, olive-green to reddish-brown twigs; older stems with bark that flakes off in patches. | Grey and deeply furrowed in a network pattern. |
| Shape and height | Shrub, 3–7 m | Broadleaf tree, 15–25 m, often pollarded |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, moist to wet | Full sun, any garden soil, moist to wet |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | Yes, for bees, butterflies and birds |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | December–March | November–March |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Both are native and good for wildlife: choose what suits your soil, your light and the space you have.
- White willow grows 15–25 m tall: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Almond willow
- Plant profile: White willow
- Almond willow: when and how to prune
- White willow: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
- Osier or white willow
- White willow or crack willow
- Purple willow or white willow
- Peach or white willow
- White willow or weeping willow
- White willow or butterfly bush
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.