Weeping Willow

Salix babylonica
Common name: Weeping Willow

About Weeping Willows

The Weeping Willow is a magnificent and distinctive tree! This willow is a hybrid, possibly a cross between the Chinese Willow and the White Willow. When Linnaeus saw the tree growing in the Middle East, he assumed it was the biblical willow of Babylon and named it accordingly.

Legend says that the poet Alexander Pope was responsible for the presence of the weeping willow in England. He begged a twig from a basket sent to Lady Suffolk, and when it rooted, a weeping willow was the result. That's a lovely story, but it is more likely that that the weeping willow was brought to England in 1748 by Mr. Vernon, who planted a tree from the Euphrates at his home, Twickenham Park.

It was introduced to the island of St. Helena by Governor Beatson, where it was a great favorite of Napoleon during his years of exile. The tree was planted over his tomb.

Read Willow for information on other plants in the genus Salix.

Description

The weeping willow is easily recognized by its distinctive long, graceful branches that sweep toward the ground. The branches and twigs are very thin, almost rope-like, and sway in even light wind. This is a tree with great presence!

The lance-shaped leaves are yellow-green on top and milky green on the underside. They grow up to six inches in length but only half an inch or less wide. The foliage is yellow in autumn. The tree has a round crown and often grows forty or fifty feet tall with a spread of about thirty-five feet.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom - Plantae
Division - Magnoliophyta
Class - Magnoliopsida
Order - Malpighiales
Family - Salicaceae
Genus - Salix

Cultivation

The Weeping Willow will grow in acid or alkaline soils with any textures from sand to loam to clay. It flourishes in moist areas, such as riverbanks. Mature trees have some drought tolerance because the extensive root system can travel surprisingly long distances to get water. Be careful it siting this tree! Weeping willow roots have been known to circle and crush water and sewer lines.

This tree does well in full sun to partial shade. It is hardy in zones 4 to 9. It grows very quickly, often eight feet in a year.

Weeping Willow is tolerant of air pollution, making it a good city tree.

Uses

Weeping willow are usually grown as specimen trees. They are beautiful grouped beside a stream or pond where space permits.

Varieties to Grow

Salix × sepulcralis 'Chrysocoma'

Salix alba 'Niobe' - golden weeping willow

Problems

Branches are often weak and likely to break off in the wind. This is not a tidy tree, and the litter can be a nuisance in some areas.

Weeping willow is susceptible to aphids, borers, Japanese beetles, and lacebugs.

Deer, rabbits, and other animals will browse on weeping willow. It may be necessary to protect young trees.

Don't plant this tree near water lines!