Purple Willow is a relatively small, rounded, flowering, deciduous shrub in the Salicaceae (willow) family. At maturity, it will reach a height of 1 to 2 feet with an equal spread. Plant it in moist soils. The bluish-green foliage is showy and the dense clusters of white flowers appear in spring. The genus name is the Latin name for this plant. The species name means purple referring to the purplish male flowers and purple young stems. Purple Willow does best in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to maximize blossoms. It will tolerate part shade, occasional dry spells, and poor soils. It prefers moist soils, even intermittently flooded ones. It prefers cool summer temperatures and may not do well in high summer heat and humidity (North Carolina is the southern most state supporting this plant.) Purple Willow is dioecious and requires both male and female plants to produce seed. The plant can become unruly over time, but you can prune in late winter to early spring to shape as desired. To re-invigorate the plant, you can cut it to the ground every 3 to 5 years. The wood is weak and, under stress, may crack. Branches may need protection from ice and snow. It can spread and develop colonies of plants over time. This plant is a larval host plant for the Viceroy butterfly. Its preference for moist sites caused it to be introduced into North America to reduce erosion along stream banks and lake shores where it has naturalized along streams. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to blights, powdery mildew, leaf spots, gray scab and cankers. Insect pests include aphids, scale, borers, lacebugs and caterpillars. More information on Salix .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Narrow 2 to 4 inch leaves are lustrous blue-green above and pale green beneath. Alternate, but opposite toward the tips of young shoots.
Flower color
Gray/Silver; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Catkin
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Grayish-white flowers blossom in April and May before the leaves appear. Catkins 1 1/4 inches long contain tiny flowers in dense clusters. Catkins emerge reddish purple but turn dark grayish white.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
The catkins on female shrubs produce small seed capsules which split open and release seeds.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Young shoots are initially purplish, but turn light gray to grayish-brown as they age.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe, Northern Africa east to Central Asia and Japan.
Distribution
Introduced to Southern Canada, Southeastern United States and the Great Lakes.
Wildlife value
This plant supports Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) larvae which has two to three broods from May-September. Adult butterflies feed on decaying matter, aphid honeydew, and nectar from composite flowers.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Uses (ethnobotany)
The bark is a source of salicin used to control pain. The twigs are flexible and often used in basketry.