Willow Identification Key: Tree Willows

Trees or large shrubs with lance-shaped to elliptic leaves, toothed margins, silky or hairless; catkins appear with the leaves in late spring.

Tree willow in winter
Tree willow in winter
Tree willow leaves
Tree willow leaves

Leaves elliptic to lance, short-pointed tip

Leaves 2 to 3 times as long as wide, broadly elliptic to lance shaped with a short-pointed tip (very glossy dark green above, paler green beneath)

Leaves long, long-pointed tip

Leaves more than 3 times as long as wide, lance shaped, with a long-pointed tip.

Leaf shapes. Salix pentandra (left) with elliptic leaves, Salix fragilis PN218 (right) with long, linear leaves.
Leaf shapes. Salix pentandra (left) with elliptic leaves, Salix fragilis PN218 (right) with long, linear leaves.