Weeping Willow Salix Babylonica 15 Gal

Salix babylonica, commonly called weeping willow or Babylon weeping willow, is a medium to large deciduous tree with a stout trunk topped by a graceful broad-rounded crown of branches that sweep downward to the ground. It grows to 30-50’ (sometimes to 60’) tall and as wide. It is native to China.

Many consider this tree to have the best form of the weeping willows available in commerce. Bark is gray-black. Branchlets are typically green or brown. This weeping willow can be a spectacular specimen at the edge of a pond with its branches gracefully weeping down to touch the water, however, it is often very difficult to site this tree in a residential landscape. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers appearing in silvery green catkins (to 1” long) on separate male and female trees. Flowering catkins appear in April-May, but are not showy. Narrow, lanceolate, finely-toothed leaves (to 6” long and 3/4” wide) with long acuminate apices are light green above and gray-green beneath. Variable fall color is usually an undistinguished greenish-yellow.

Some experts believe that the true species no longer exists in the wild in China and that plants being sold today under the name S. babylonica are primarily hybrids or mistakenly identified similar species.

Grow in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Thrives in moist soils. Avoid dry soils. Prefers full sun. Prune as needed in late winter to early spring. This species may not be reliably winter hardy in the St. Louis area, and is best grown in the southern parts of the U.S.