White willow or Weeping willow: how to tell them apart?
White willow and Weeping 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
White willow
Salix alba
Weeping willow
Salix × sepulcralis 'Chrysocoma'
White willow normally has an upright, non-drooping habit; only certain horticultural forms of it (such as 'Tristis') have weeping branches. The true weeping willow is recognised by its branches that hang down to the ground from the base of the crown, all around the tree.
🍃 Leaves
Long and narrow, finely toothed, underside silky silvery
Deciduous, long and tapering (lanceolate), glossy green above, paler and whitish beneath, borne on long, flexible, drooping shoots
🌸 Flowers
Erect catkins appearing with the leaves
Pendulous catkins appearing in March–April, before or at the same time as the leaves
🍎 Fruits
Small capsules releasing cottony seeds
Small capsules releasing seeds with cottony plumes
🪵 Bark
Grey, deeply fissured in diamond patterns with age
Grey, deeply fissured and cracked with age
📏 Size
15 to 25 m tall
12 to 18 m in height, spread that can exceed 10 to 15 m
🗺️ Habitat
Riverbanks and ditch edges, damp soils
Banks of rivers, ponds and lakes, parks and large gardens; cool to damp soils, in a sunny position
⚠️ Toxicity
No known toxicity; bark rich in salicin, the traditional origin of aspirin
Non-toxic. The bark and leaves contain salicin (a compound related to aspirin); eating a large quantity may cause mild digestive discomfort, with no known real danger
🔎 And from the Weeping willow side
White willow normally has an upright, non-drooping habit; only certain horticultural forms of it (such as 'Tristis') have weeping branches. The true weeping willow is recognised by its branches that hang down to the ground from the base of the crown, all around the tree.
🌿 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.