Salix cinerea is a horticultural species known from outside of cultivation from a single site in Racine County. If the location given on the label is precise that site is now a housing development, so there appear to be no extant locations for this species in Wisconsin.

The willow species are quite variable and difficult to distinguish and any "shortcuts" around the proven keys are likely to result in frequent errors. See the key to willows for helpful characters to identify the species, or try the more thorough keys in Michigan Flora vol 2.