Willow
Salix pendulina · Salicaceae
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around willow and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Common name
- Weeping willow
- Family
- Salicaceae
- Form
- Tree
- Adult height
- Up to 6 m
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Flowering
- March to April
- Hardiness
- Very hardy
- Growth
- Fast
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability medium.
Expert tips
The key tip
Weeping willow loves regular watering; coppice in February when the silhouette gets too loose.
The common mistake
Planting it in ordinary soil without extra water and being surprised when it languishes or gets infested with woolly aphids.
The pro's trick
Take green wood cuttings in June and push them into moist sand in dappled shade.
Care
Watering
Your weeping willow requires regular and generous watering, particularly during the growing season. It appreciates soil that stays fresh to moist; ideally near a water source or in naturally humid terrain. During dry periods, water copiously to support its lush vegetation and prevent water stress.
Light exposure
Plant your willow in full sun so it can express its full ornamental potential and develop its characteristic graceful weeping habit. Although it tolerates partial shade, full sun maximizes its growth and the density of its drooping foliage.
Pruning and training
Prune lightly in late winter or early spring to balance the silhouette and remove dead or poorly oriented wood. Avoid severe pruning that would distort the tree's naturally elegant habit. Minimal maintenance is generally sufficient to maintain its harmonious shape.
Soil and planting
The willow thrives in humid, even marshy terrain, and accepts all soil types as long as they are not too dry or chalky. Enrichment during planting facilitates establishment. It particularly enjoys locations near watercourses or in low areas of your garden.
Fertilizer
Apply a balanced fertilizer in spring to support the willow's vigorous growth. Annual organic matter (compost, decomposed manure) is generally sufficient to maintain soil fertility and the tree's vitality.
Diseases and pests
The willow can be affected by fungal diseases (anthracnose) and insects (sawflies, aphids) in humid climates. Promote good air circulation through airy pruning and quickly remove diseased branches. Regular monitoring allows you to detect and treat problems before they worsen.
Did you know?
Weeping willows are inseparable from Romantic poetry and picturesque landscapes. Planted for centuries along lakes and rivers, they symbolize melancholy in Western art. In Asia, the willow is also an emblem of flexibility and resilience, capable of bending without breaking when facing storms.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- AspenPopulus tremula
- Goat willowSalix caprea
- Grey willowSalix cinerea
- White willowSalix alba
- Eared willowSalix aurita
- Creeping willowSalix repens
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.