Persian willow

Salix aegyptiaca, known as the Persian willow, is a large shrub or small tree from the genus of willow with red branches that are tomentose in the first two years and leaves up to 15 centimeters long. The natural range of the species is in the Caucasus and in western Asia. It is cultivated in many countries. The Persian willow is a 2.5 to 10 meter high shrub or tree with striped wood. The twigs are thick, red, with gray tomentose hair up to the second year and later glabrous. The flower buds are egg-shaped, 6 to 9 millimeters long, 4 to 6 millimeters in diameter, blunt or pointed. The foliage leaves have kidney-shaped or half- heart -shaped stipules 1.5 to 6 millimeters long, falling off early. The petiole is 4 to 12 millimeters long. The leaf blade is 5 to 15 centimeters long, 3 to 6 centimeters wide, obovate to elliptical-lanceolate, usually half as wide as long, with a pointed or blunt end, a rounded to broadly wedge-shaped base and a more or less wavy and irregularly serrated leaf edge. 15 pairs of nerves are formed. Both sides are initially hairy, the top later becomes bald and is then shiny green. The underside is blue-green and gray haired pressed.

Source: Wikipedia