Types of Willows
Willows are the fast-growing trees and shrubs of stream banks, wet meadows and pond edges, the first green of spring and one of the earliest nectar sources for bees. Their flexible stems have been woven and whittled for thousands of years. Here are the willows in the Huck field guide, with how to tell them apart.
9 willows in the Huck field guide. Tap any one for identification, habitat, diet, and a live sightings map.
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Get Huck - freeCommon questions
What is the difference between a willow tree and a pussy willow?
Pussy willow is a shrubby willow grown for its soft silver catkins in late winter, not a separate kind of plant. The familiar weeping willow is a large tree with long trailing branches. Both are willows, just at opposite ends of the family in size and shape.
Are willows good for wildlife?
Among the best. Willows bloom very early and feed emerging bees and other pollinators when little else is open, and their leaves support hundreds of kinds of caterpillars, which in turn feed nesting birds.