Bay Willow

Salix pentandra

Tree10×10 mzone 5–8full sun

Will it grow where I live?

Bay Willow is hardy to zone 5 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 5 upwards.

Or check it for your location right here:

Winter hardiness by USDA zone, summer warmth by heat sum – the same values the app and the plant finder use.

Profile

Family: Salicaceae
Habit: Tree
Height: 10 m
Spread: 10 m
Growth: fast
Lifespan: 60 years
First yield: after 4 years
Hardiness: zone 5–8
Shade tolerance: full sun
Soil: Sand, Silt, Clay
Soil moisture: moist – near water
pH: 5.5 – 7.5

nectar sourcepollen source

Flowering & harvest

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Flowering

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible1 of 10

Medicinal5 of 10

Other uses6 of 10

Growing

Loves moist to wet soils on banks, ditches and floodplains, in full sun. Easily propagated from hardwood cuttings and tolerates pruning well.

Frequently asked questions

Bay Willow: how big does it get?

Bay Willow (Salix pentandra) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 10 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 10 m. Growth is fast.

Bay Willow: what site does it need?

Bay Willow tolerates full sun. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Clay. Soil moisture should be in the range moist – near water. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.5.

Bay Willow: is it hardy?

Bay Willow is listed as hardy in zone 5–8 and survives normal winters outdoors there.

Bay Willow: will it grow in Central Europe?

Bay Willow is hardy to zone 5 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 5 upwards.

Bay Willow: when does it flower?

In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers from May to June.

Bay Willow: is it poisonous?

No toxicity is recorded for Bay Willow. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.

Bay Willow: what is it used for?

Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 1/10, Medicinal 5/10, Other uses 6/10.

Community experience

No first-hand reports for this plant yet.

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