A bushy shrub with very narrow, linear leaves which are grey-hairy when young, becoming dark green above and whitish below. Slender catkins open with the leaves in early spring.

Similar to Salix viminalis.

The County Recorder has asked for a specimen of this plant to be retained for verification

Planted as a garden shrub and occasionally escaping into the wild.

Flowering in April and early May.

Deciduous shrub.

Widespread scattered records in Britain.

Uncommon or under recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland. It was not recorded in the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire.