Characteristic 6

Diamond-shaped lenticels on the trunk . 

The bark on trees (> 5 years old) is smooth and grey with diamond-shaped cupped lenticels. As the tree ages, the bark turns grey to black-brown and develops broad grooves. Then look at the thick branches. 

6a Leaf margin corrugated or irregularly serrate; leaves broadly elliptic to circular, green above; 5-12 cm long and 2.5-8 cm wide; initially densely felty hairy below, less distinctly hairy later in the season, with distinct veins; twisted leaf tip; stipules dropping off early or missing except on very young longleaves. Catkins appear before leaves. Small tree on relatively drier sites.

► Salix caprea 

Note: Sometimes small thin striae, length 2-4 mm L, are noted on Salix caprea. (Normally caprea has no striae.) However, there is a chance that it is not pure S. caprea but S. x reichardtii (Salix caprea x Salix cinerea) that has been back-crossed with S. caprea. See also 6c.

6b Leaf margin flat or with curled margin, entire margin or nearly entire margin; inverted-ovate; wedge-shaped leaf base; leaves first silvery, silky hairy on both sides, the underside and upper side remaining hairy, 3-7 cm L and 1.5-4.5 cm W, robust shrub or small tree; stipules dropping off early or missing except on very young longleaves. Catkins appear after the leaves.

► Salix caprea var. sphacelata 

6c Clear (higher) lists 5-25 mm L; leaves intermediate between S. caprea and S. cinerea ssp. cinerea; pronounced nervature underside of leaves; oblong as well as oval and rounded leaves; leaf margin +/- corrugated and sometimes with twisted leaf tip; when fully grown leaves still only sparsely hairy to almost glabrous; no reddish hairs; stipules early falling off or absent except on fast-growing young twigs. Small tree or substantial shrub.

► Salix x reichardtii (S. caprea x S. cinerea) 

6d Same as 6c but with reddish hairs on underside of leaves.  (Note Meikle: russet hair is not always inherited .)

► Salix x quercifolia (S. caprea x S. cinerea ssp. oleifolia) 

6e Leaves short-lot inversely ovate, highly variable in size; 1.5-7 cm L, 8-45 mm W (long-lot leaves may be up to 8 cm L and 5 cm W); underside of leaf bluish, scarcely hairy-looking but still soft to the touch (loupe! ); leaf margin somewhat wavy and top often twisted but less pronounced than in S. aurita; veins top of leaf somewhat 'sunken' so that leaf looks somewhat wrinkled; lists not very numerous, usually about 5-15 mm L. Stipules conspicuous and persistent. Twigs often somewhat reddish as in S. aurita.

► Salix x capreola (S. aurita x S. caprea) 

6f Leaf short-leaf lanceolate or narrowly elliptic; leaf margin asymmetric (in long-leaf sometimes symmetric), 5.5-9-(11) cm L and 1.5-2.2 cm W; in fast-growing long-leaf 13-16 cm L, 3-3.5 (5.5) cm W; underside of leaf soft, persistently downy-hairy; leaf base rounded to broadly wedge-shaped; apex somewhat pointed to blunt; lower surface of veins conspicuously protruding; usually unframed or at most 2-6 mm L; catkins of male plants conspicuously large and with yellow-green apex. Catkins on male plants before leaves; on female flush with leaves. Lenticels on twigs 5 years old and older. Sturdy shrub or small tree with bare green twigs.

► Salix x smithiana (S. caprea x S. viminalis)