White willow
Salix alba
Also called Cricket-bat willow and Silver willow
Garden plant · TreesThe willow that stands UP — the weeping one is a hybrid of this. Roots go looking for water and find drains, so keep it forty metres from the house; by a stream it is the best tree there is.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 5 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Not needed
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a very cold winter RHS H6, to -20°C
- Size
- 18 m tall · 10 m across
- Lifecycle
- Tree
- Origin
- Britain, Europe and western Asia
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-21. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.