The White Willow is a willow native to Europe, and western and central Asia. It is a large deciduous tree up to 20-30 m tall. The name derives from the leaves, which are paler than most other willows, due to a covering of very fine silky white hairs. The leaves are typically 5-10 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. The shoots in the typical variety (var. alba) are brown to green-brown. The flowers are catkins, produced in early spring.