Grey willow or Goat willow: how to tell them apart?
Grey willow and Goat willow look alike and are often mixed up. Here is how to tell them apart, feature by feature, with their photos and the details to look for.
⚡ The quick answer
Grey willow
Salix cinerea
Goat willow
Salix caprea
Goat willow has broader leaves and shoots that quickly become hairless, whereas grey willow keeps densely greyish-downy shoots and leaf undersides for longer.
🍃 Leaves
Elongated-ovate, grey-felted beneath, prominent rusty veins
Broad, ovate, crinkled above, grey-felted beneath
🌸 Flowers
Grey catkins before the leaves
Large catkins, silvery then bright yellow (the famous 'pussy willows')
🍎 Fruits
Small cottony capsules
Small capsules with cottony seeds
🪵 Bark
Grey, young shoots downy
Grey, smooth then fissured
📏 Size
3 to 8 m tall
5 to 10 m tall
🗺️ Habitat
Wetlands, peat bogs, ditches
Woodland edges, forest clearings, cool ground
⚠️ Toxicity
No known toxicity
No known toxicity
🔎 And from the Goat willow side
Goat willow has broader leaves and shoots that quickly become hairless, whereas grey willow keeps densely greyish-downy shoots and leaf undersides for longer.
🌿 Go further
Want to practise spotting these details on real photos? Floraneo offers profiles and quizzes for dozens of look-alike species.
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.