Common Name: Weeping Willow
Scientific Name: Salix babylonica
Family: Salicaceae
Origin: Northern China
The weeping willow gets its common name from its low sweeping branches that sway in the wind. This medium-sized tree has a broad-rounded crown when mature. Its leaves are lanceolate, fine-toothed, and appearing up to 3-6 inches long. Leaves are light green with light-dull green undersides. These trees are dioecious, having separate male and female flowers on separate male and female trees. The weeping willow grows catkins which are tightly clustered same sex flowers that mostly lack petals and are usually wind pollinated. Flowers appear between April-May. Flowers are silvery green and grow around 1 inch long. Since the tree grows along streams, the tree easily propagates through broken branches that travel downstream and root in the stream bank.