Weeping Willow: Best enjoyed in a park or other natural area

Very few plants look as good to me next to a body of water as does Weeping Willow, Salix babylonica. Something about the pendulous branches hanging downward and even touching the water, while they sway gently in even the slightest breeze, immediately evokes a sense of calm and tranquility. Though the scientific name, given by botany superhero Carl Linneaus, seems to point the trees’ heritage to ancient Babylon, it is actually native to East Asia, and has become naturalized in the United States.

Weeping Willow is happiest growing along moist riverbanks, or near ponds and lakes, but it can be challenging to grow in a typical home landscape. For one, the mature size of the tree, 20-40’ tall and wide, makes it difficult to find room for in many landscapes, but most of our soils do not have the kind of consistent moisture you would find near bodies of water, and thus the rapidly expanding roots of the willow will search out whatever moisture they can find, which in home landscapes might mean septic and drain pipes. Like many rapidly-growing tree species, the wood of the branches is often quite soft, making it susceptible to splitting and breaking from wind, ice, or other elements.

At 20-40 feet wide and tall, the Weeping Willow's mature size makes it more suited to parks and other natural areas than to backyards. Photo: E. Balocchi, CC BY 2.0

Even though you may not want to rush out and buy a weeping willow for your backyard, you can still appreciate them for their beauty when you see them in a park or other natural area. Despite not being native, they are a larval host plant for Viceroy butterflies, and a food source for a number of adult butterfly and bee species. Native Americans often chewed on young stems and bark as a method of pain relief, and Aspirin derives from willow plants.

The cultivar ‘Scarlet Curls’ is smaller than the typical Weeping Willow, and has branches that grow mostly upright rather than weep. The long, slender foliage that willows are known for is still present. ‘Scarlet Curls’ is notable for the twisting curled branches, as well as the intense red color of the young branches that changes to yellow during the cold of winter.  At a mature size of 25’ tall and 15-20’ wide, ‘Scarlet Curls’ may be easier to fit in your landscape, though soil moisture is still important, and placement away from any underground pipes is, of course, critical. Still, it may be the most sensible option for willow lovers who desire their own willow at home.

Left: The branches of  'Scarlet Curls' are twisted and curled. Right: Willows are a larval host plant for Viceroy butterflies, pictured here.

It's worth mentioning that, among all trees and shrubs, willows are one of the easiest plants to propagate via stem cuttings. Those wishing to try their hand at plant propagation should be able to achieve close to 100% success by sticking a freshly cut 6-inch cutting in a glass of water or pot of moist soil. If you are not able to propagate willow successfully, you may wish to devote your time to other pursuits besides botany.

Matthew Stevens is the County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pitt County Center. If you have questions about this article or gardening in general, please contact the Pitt County Extension Master Gardeners at [email protected] or 252-902-1705.