Salix babylonica 'Pendula' Flower (07/04/2012, London)
Position: Full sun
Flowering period: Late spring
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 15m
Eventual Spread: 12m
Hardiness: 6a – 9b
Family: Salicaceae
Salix babylonica ‘Pendula’ is a fast growing, short lived medium/ large deciduous tree with a weeping habit. Its light green leaves are lance shaped with finely serrated margins, alternate and spirally arranged, up to 16cm long and 2cm broad. Its leaves turn yellow in autumn. Its olive/ green twigs and branches hang, giving the tree is weeping, pendulous habit. Its bark is grayish brown and irregularly furrowed. The flowers are dioecious, producing male and female catkins on separate trees. Its white male catkins are fuzzy in appearance and up to 5cm long. Its fruit is a 1cm light brown capsule which, contains many fine, cottony seeds.
Salix babylonica 'Pendula' (07/04/2012, London)
Salix babylonica ‘Pendula’, commonly known as Weeping Willow or Peking Willow, is native to north China. It has been cultivated for thousands of years in Asia, being traded along the Silk Road to Europe. It was introduced into the UK around 1730.
The etymological root of the binomial name Salix is derived from the old Latin name for the willow tree and is possibly derived from the old Celtic ‘sal’ meaning near and ‘lis’ meaning water. Babylonica is from a misunderstanding by Linnaeus that this Willow was the tree described in Psalm 137 in the bible.
The landscape architect may find Salix babylonica ‘Pendula’ useful as a specimen tree particularly in wet locations. They are classically planted next to lakes or water bodies, where their form can be reflected. Care should be taken when locating this tree as its roots may disturb foundations and drainage runs. It will tolerate maritime conditions.
Salix babylonica Bark 'Pendula' (07/04/2012, London)
Ecologically, S. babylonica ‘Pendula’ attracts insects, including bees, who pollinate this tree.
The Royal Horticultural Society has given the variety S.babylonica var . pekinensis ‘Tortuosa’ their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
S.babylonica ‘Pendula’ prefers moist, fertile, deep, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It will tolerate periods of severe flooding and dislikes periods of extended drought.
S.babylonica ‘Pendula’ requires little maintenance.
