It resembles the known European hybrid between a species of the section Vetrix (S. caprea or S. cinerea) and S. viminalis. This hybrid was recorded from SE Massachusetts under the name S. x smithiana. The characters of this tree, however, don't completely match S. x smithiana. Alternatively this could be a spontaneous hybrid between the only two willows common in the Forest: the native S. occidentalis (S. tristis) and introduced invasive S. atrocinerea. To test this hypothesis, one should either try to obtain an artificial cross between the two willows and compare it with the willow in question or apply molecular methods.