Willow Trees (Salix)

Buying Willow Trees Online:

Pre-Order Bareroot Willow Trees For 2025/26 Winter Planting Season

Willows,Salix species, can be very large shrubs or small to medium-sized trees. The larger ones make wonderful specimen trees, Golden Weeping Willow being the most famous.

They are vigorous and thrive half underwater in wet, boggy, waterside sites that would drown most other trees, although they do well in most soils in full sun.

Varieties like Britzensis are usually pollarded (cut back to a crown on a short trunk every spring)for their colourful new bark in winter, which can rival some dogwoods in terms of impact at a time of year when there isn't much colour in the garden.

What size Willow trees should I buy?

• If you are not in a hurry to get a full sized willow tree, we recommend starting with the smaller 6/8cm girth size.
• If you are in a hurry and need instant impact, then go for the 8/10cm girth size.

Standard trees are measured by their girth 1 metre above the ground, and young saplings are measured by height.

Therefore, a 6/8cm Standard Willow tree is much bigger than an 60/80cm sapling Willow tree. If a tree is available in both sizes, it will be noted in the product descriptions.

Browse our range of ornamental trees.

• When your order is ready: your mail order trees are delivered by next working day courier (not the next working day after ordering!)
• Friendly support: if there is anything wrong with your plants when you inspect them, Contact Us within 5 working days

All bareroot plants are covered by our Refund Guarantee, so you can give them a whirl with complete confidence.

Willow is, along with Alder and dogwood (which is more of a large shrub than a tree), a go-to choice for wet sites that are prone to waterlogging. 

Where can I grow Willow Trees?

Willows will grow in most sunny locations.

Although they love wet soil and will grow with their roots underwater, they generally grow in dry, poor soil as well. Most of them do not grow well on chalk or by the sea, but Osier Willow will grow with its roots in brackish water (i.e. where fresh water and seawater mix).

Important Note on Willow Roots:Willow roots tend to be quite shallow, spreading, and anti-social! 

We advise against planting them near old buildings, vulnerable walls or drains. Once a willow root gets into a drain, it will quickly clog it, and is difficult to remove.