Willow Identification Key: Salix babylonica

Common Name:

Scientific Name:

New Zealand Clones:

Technical Description:

Habit: Medium sized tree, up to 15-20 m high, spreading crown with very pendulous branches.

Shoots: Green or brownish green; slender, pendulous with appressed hairs at first, soon without hairs

Leaves: 7-13 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm wide, linear-lanceolate; margins finely serrate; slightly shiny medium green above, bluish grey below; thinly pubsecent at first, soon becoming hairless.

Catkins: Only female in New Zealand; narrow-cylindrical, often curved, almost stalkless; 1-2.5 cm long; appearing with leaves but sometimes after leaves, August-September.

Comments: First willow brought to New Zealand, in 1839. Earliest of the weeping willows to leaf out.