The weeping willow

Salix × sepulcralis

The first thing you notice about the house is the weeping willow. Its massive contorted trunk is probably 6 feet across, and shows several cracks and hollows. The tree rises perhaps 40-50 feet, and is situated at the north-west corner of the property, about 50 feet away from the house. Given the reputation of these trees, that is doubtless barely far enough.

Weeping willows can grow 70 feet high, in the 4.5-7.5 pH range. Medium drought tolerance, intolerant of shade, high water use. Willows will root from cuttings or broken branches, and it is a litter-happy tree, so cleaning up after it will be a necessity. A weekly tidy prior to cutting the grass seems to be sufficient. It has a stunning beauty in the early spring, with its yellow new growth and chartreuse foliage. Now that it is June, it has settled in to the standard silvery tones. It also seems to be suffering from the Imported Willow Leaf Beetle.



Ideally I'll try to have it professionally pruned every 2-3 years.