Certain aravos that were sold in a number of communities in Eretz Yisroel have been found to be of the tzaftzafa species and not the aravah species. Tzafzafa, which grows in hills, is disqualified for the daled minim, as is well known.
The news came via Kollel Ponovezh in Bnei Brak, with Rav Meir Hershkowitz making the revelation and stating that everyone should check their aravos.
At first, the rabbonim of the kollel instructed that those who have already recited a Shehecheyanu when taking their daled minim should do so again after exchanging the aravos, because the original brocha was recited on a disqualified daled minim. The rabbonim cited the Mishnah Berurah in Siman Tav Reish Nun Alef, Seif Katan Nun Vav (סימן תרנ”א סעיף קטן נ”ו).
Later, it was clarified that this is a specific variety of aravah originating from abroad that may look like tzafzafah, but is indeed a type of aravah. This was determined by rav Yisrael Wiesel, Rav Avraham Yitzchak Itzkowitz, and Rav Menachem Mendel Lubin, who were shown the aravos on Monday. However, some rabbonim who discovered the issue still maintain that they are tzaftzafah.
{Matzav.com Israel}