Willow Identification Key: Salix purpurea

Common Name:

Scientific Name:

New Zealand Clones:

Female: Booth, PMC, Gracilis (Narrowleaf)
Male: Holland, Irette, Eugenei

Technical Description:

Habit: Large shrub or small tree, up to 8 m high, variable form erect to spreading, often with slender graceful branches.

Shoots: Grey-green to yellowish green, sometimes reddish or purplish when young, especially where exposed to the sun; slender, very tough and supple.

Leaves: 2.5-11 cm long, 0.5-2 cm wide; often opposite towards the tips of the shoot; linear to linear lanceolate, mostly broadening above the middle; dark glossy green above, glaucous or bluish green below; margins minutely toothed near tip; sometimes hairy when young, becoming hairless; bitter.

Catkins: Usually female; narrowly cylindrical, often curved, 2-4 cm long (female), 1.5-3 cm long (male); appearing before the leaves.

Comments: Mainly planted in the south of the North Island and in Canterbury. 'Booth' is a vigorous sterile female clone with stout upright branches, and is commonly used in river control plantings. Distinguished by having many leaves opposite or semi-opposite near shoot tips, and leaves being wider above the middle.