Weeping Willow Tree

Few trees command a landscape like the weeping willow. This graceful giant sweeps its pendulous branches earthward in dramatic curtains of narrow, light green foliage, creating an instantly recognizable silhouette that transforms any waterside setting into a scene of contemplative beauty. Growing 30 to 50 feet tall with an equal or greater spread, the tree develops a broad, rounded crown atop a stout trunk covered in grayish-black furrowed bark. Slender lance-shaped leaves emerge light green with grayish undersides, arranged spirally on long yellowish-brown branches that cascade toward the ground. The tree grows with remarkable speed—adding up to 10 feet per year when young—though this vigor trades longevity for drama, with most specimens living 40 to 75 years. In early spring, inconspicuous silvery-green catkins appear before the foliage fully emerges, and in fall the leaves turn soft gold-yellow before dropping. The weeping willow thrives where other trees struggle—in moist soils, al