Shrubs🌿 Native to the NetherlandsVery hardy — tolerates frost down to -30°C

Goat Willow

Salix caprea

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Goat Willow (Salix caprea) is a native willow that can grow as a large shrub or small tree. The species occurs mainly in open spaces in forests, forest edges, hedges, shrubberies, hedgerows, clearings, abandoned fields, fallow ground, railroad embankments, water sides and inner dunes. Unlike many other willows, Goat Willow grows not only on wet soil, but also on quite dry to moderately moist light soils. In March and April, Goat Willow blooms very early with striking catkins, often before the leaves appear. The species is dioecious: male and female catkins are usually on separate plants. Goat Willow fits well in forest edges, bird thickets, native hedges, pioneer planting, garden planting and natural shrubberies.

Year calendar

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
🌸Blooms
🐝Provides nectar
🍓Bears fruit
🍂Has autumn colour

Pruning period

✂️Best pruning period: Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
✂️ Pruning period

Best pruning period

Goat Willow tolerates pruning reasonably well. Prune during winter dormancy to rejuvenate the shrub, limit it or manage it as coppice. In ecological planting, also leave older branches for structure and shelter.

Botanical profile

Site & soil

Sun, Half shade

Soil type: Sand, Loam

Moisture need: Moderately moist, Moist

pH: Acidic (<5.5), Slightly acidic (5.5–6.5), Neutral (6.5–7.5)

Nutrient richness: Moderately nutrient-rich

Humus content: Humus-poor, Moderately humus-rich

Water drainage: Well draining, Moisture-retentive

Appearance & season

Mature height: 300-900cm

Bloom: Mar

Autumn colour: Yellow-green to yellow. The ornamental value lies mainly in the early catkins, broad ovoid leaves and natural shrub or tree form.

Properties

Salt sensitive: No

Edible: No

Scent: The catkins have a light, soft floral scent. Goat Willow attracts insects mainly through the early nectar and pollen value of the catkins.

Ecological value

Goat Willow is ecologically very valuable due to its early flowering. The catkins provide nectar and pollen in March and April to early bees, bumblebees, hoverflies and other insects. Especially male plants with yellow catkins are remarkably rich in pollen. In addition, Goat Willow, like other willows, is important as a host plant for many caterpillars, leaf beetles and other leaf-eating insects. The shrub or small tree provides cover, nesting and leaf food in forest edges and shrubberies. Due to the early catkins, Goat Willow is one of the best native species for spring insects.

Food web & Biodiversity

🐛 Caterpillars & mothsExtremely useful

🐝 Bees & bumblebeesExtremely useful

🪰 HoverfliesVery useful

🦋 ButterfliesExtremely useful

🪲 Beetles & insectsExtremely useful

🐦 BirdsVery useful

🐿️ MammalsVery useful

🐞 Other animalsVery useful

Goat Willow is especially valuable due to the very early catkins, the high value for bees and bumblebees and the leaf as food for many insects. The species is strong in forest edges, hedges, hedgerows and pioneer planting.

Distribution in the Netherlands