Male and female flowers occur on separate trees as catkins. Seeds have a cottony down which allows them to float long distances in wind or on water.
Seeds are non-dormant remaining viable for only a few days.
The seeds contain significant amounts of chlorophyll, and photosynthesis generally occurs as soon as the seed is moistened. It is shade intolerant and can therefore persist along a river's edge, where repeated flooding prevents other species from becoming established. Peachleaf willow is a deciduous tree.