White willow
Salix alba · Salicaceae
📷 Sven Teschke · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around white willow and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Flowering
- March to April (catkins)
- Adult size
- Up to 20 m in height
- Growth
- Very fast
- Hardiness
- Very hardy (−20 °C)
- Origin
- Europe, Western Asia
- Soil type
- Fresh to moist soils
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
White willow demands commitment: deep soil, acceptable drainage but regular moisture, and generous air space. It's a vigorous tree that tolerates radical pruning (pollarding, coppicing).
The common mistake
Planting it too close to foundations, pipes or paths: the spreading roots will lift everything.
The pro's trick
Practice pollarding every 2-3 years (February): cut back to 2m high, let 5-6 stems emerge and maintain with ties.
Care
Watering
White willow enjoys constantly moist soils and thrives particularly near water features. During dry periods, water regularly, especially young plants. Avoid prolonged waterlogging, although this species tolerates marshy terrain well.
Exposure
Plant white willow in full sun for optimal growth and dense habit. It also tolerates partial shade, but develops less vigorous foliage. Avoid permanently shaded areas.
Pruning and cutting
Prune in late winter (February-March), before growth resumes. Remove dead, diseased or crossing branches to open up the crown. White willow handles severe pruning well and shoots back vigorously after major cutting.
Soil
White willow prefers fresh, moist and well-drained soils, but also tolerates chalky and acidic terrain. It establishes easily near riverbanks and in flood-prone areas. Improving the soil with compost benefits initial growth.
Fertilizer
An annual application of mature compost or balanced fertilizer in spring is enough to maintain vigour. Excessive fertilization is not necessary for an established subject. Enrich the soil particularly at planting time.
Diseases and pests
White willow can be affected by fungi (anthracnose, rust) in humid conditions. Some insects such as grasshoppers and aphids may affect it. Ensure good air circulation through aeration and clean up plant debris to reduce risks.
Did you know?
White willow has been the natural source of salicin since Antiquity, a substance transformed into salicylic acid, which is the origin of aspirin. The Greeks and Romans chewed willow bark to relieve pain and fever, a practice validated by modern science in the nineteenth century.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- AspenPopulus tremula
- Goat willowSalix caprea
- Grey willowSalix cinerea
- Eared willowSalix aurita
- Creeping willowSalix repens
- Black poplarPopulus nigra
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.