Side by side
Goat willow or whitebeam? How to tell them apart
Salix caprea · Sorbus aria
How to tell them apart – goat willow: wavy leaf margin, catkins in March and no berries; whitebeam: oval, double-toothed leaves with a brilliant white, felted underside, white flower heads and orange-red berries.
How do you recognise them?
- Goat willow
- Broadly oval willow leaf with a grey-felted underside; fat, silvery ‘pussy willow’ catkins in March.
- Compared with whitebeam: wavy leaf margin, catkins in March and no berries.
- Whitebeam
- Oval, double-toothed leaves with a brilliant white, felted underside; white flower heads and orange-red berries.
| Goat willow | Whitebeam | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, broadly oval, 5–10 cm, with a short tip that is often bent to one side; edge wavy and irregularly toothed. Underside grey-felted, upper side dull and slightly wrinkled. | Alternate, 6–12 cm, oval, irregularly double-toothed, with 10–14 pairs of parallel veins. Dark green above, white-felted below: in the wind the tree looks silvery. |
| Flowering | Fat, silvery catkins in March; on male trees they turn golden yellow (March–April). | White flower heads in May (May). |
| Fruit | Fluffy seeds in May. | Orange-red to scarlet berries (1–1.5 cm) with small pale speckles, in autumn. |
| Bark | Grey, smooth for a long time, later cracking into diamonds. Buds large and red-brown. | Smooth and grey, later finely cracked. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 3–10 m | Broadleaf tree, 8–15 m |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, moist to wet | Full sun, any garden soil, dry |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees and birds |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | April–May | July–August and December–February |
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.
Read on
- Plant profile: Goat willow
- Plant profile: Whitebeam
- Goat willow: when and how to prune
- Whitebeam: when and how to prune
- Identification key: the question that separates them
Also looks like
- Goat willow or grey willow
- Goat willow or eared willow
- Goat willow or osier
- Goat willow or creeping willow
- Whitebeam or Swedish whitebeam
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.