Large ornamental landscape tree native to East Asia, but widely naturalized elsewhere.
Long branches drape downards creating the iconic weeping shape.
One of the first trees to gain leaves in the spring, and last to drop in the fall.
Long, thin lanceolate leaves are green or gray and finely toothed.
Requires full sun and moist soil, often found growing on the water's edge or in the water itself.
Larval host to various butterfly and moth species and food source for many specialized bee species.
Wetland Indicator FACW
Hardiness zone 6-8
Sentimental and Symbolic Value
The weeping willow is one of the most common Western symbols relating to death, being one of the most common graveyard plantings and its likeness being found etched into gravestones all across Europe and the US. It had been a traditional symbol of sorrow and grief since Biblical times, but rose to prominence during the Renaissance and Greek revivalist periods where it began to be depicted in funerary art along with other traditional Mediterranean symbolism such as urns and nymphs.
Its longevity and resilience gives it an additional connotation of life and immortality in many cultures, an interesting juxtaposition which fits well into the Abrahamic conception of the afterlife.
Specimen photographed found at the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, Massachusetts. Part of the Ornamental Trees assignment (11/3/2021).
Plant History and Etymology
Both parts of its name are of Latin origin, Salix meaning "willow" and babylonica meaning "of Babylon". The specific epithet is a misnomer attributed to a misattribution of the tree by Karl Linneaus as the willows mentioned in Psalm 137 - "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres." More likely, these trees were Populus euphratica, the Euphrates poplar, rather than true willows. The weeping willow likely made its way west from China along the Silk Road, starting in the second century BC, naturalizing in the Middle East before spreading to Europe and beyond in the 1700s.
Design Considerations
The tree's main aesthetic attraction comes from its form, which is somewhat round overall with a large, messy web of branches that weep downards, alomst touching the ground. Its leaves are deciduous and of a dull color, but are very long-lasting. Its resistance to wet soil conditions makes it an ideal candidate for planted wetlands and other naturalist plantings, but its form and cultural implications also make it a common specimen in parks, formal plantings, and graveyards.
Sources
“Omeka@CTL | UVM Tree Profiles : Weeping Willow : Weeping Willows in Culture.” 2021. Uvm.edu. 2021. http://libraryexhibits.uvm.edu/omeka/exhibits/show/uvmtrees/weeping-willow-introduction/weeping-willow-culture.
“Salix Babylonica (Weeping Willow) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” 2021. Ncsu.edu. 2021. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salix-babylonica/.
“USDA Plants Database.” 2021. Usda.gov. 2021. https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=SABA.
“Salix Babylonica - Plant Finder.” 2021. Missouribotanicalgarden.org. 2021. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c148.