S. argophylla, S. hindsiana, S. interior, S. linearifolia, S. luteosericea, S. malacophylla, S. nevadensis, and S. parishiana) is a species of willow native to most of North America except for the southeast and far north, occurring from Alaska east to New Brunswick, and south to northern Mexico.

The leaves are narrow lanceolate, 4–12 centimetres (1+1⁄2–4+3⁄4 in) long and 2–10 millimetres (1⁄16–3⁄8 in) broad, green, to grayish with silky white hairs at least when young; the margin is entire or with a few irregular, widely spaced small teeth.

The fruit is a cluster of capsules, each containing numerous minute seeds embedded in shiny white silk.

[5][6] The two subspecies, which meet in the western Great Plains, are:[2][5] In California and Oregon, Salix exigua is cultivated as an ornamental tree.

In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.