Multi-Trunk Trees With a Weeping Habit

Tea Tree

• The Australian tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum) grows in weeping form. This evergreen has a low canopy of gray-green foliage and blooms with white spring blossoms. It's hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11, where it grows in full sun to partial shade and tolerates dry soil and drought. The Australian tea tree reaches heights of 25 feet and has multiple trunks with exfoliating gray bark. The lemon-scented tea tree (Leptospermum petersonii) grows from 10 to 20 feet tall with multiple trunks. This Australian native is named for its aromatic foliage and stems. It's hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11 and tolerates a range of site conditions.

Acacia

• Acacias or wattles (Acacia spp.) are known for their drought tolerance and make appropriate choices for low-water gardening or xeriscaping. Weeping, multi-trunked varieties include the golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha), a 25-foot-tall evergreen with linear leaves. The golden wattle blooms with bright yellow flowers in spring, followed by long seed pods. It's hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11 and thrives in sunny sites with well-draining soil. As its name suggests, the weeping acacia (Acacia pendula) has strongly descending branches. This Australian native grows in USDA zones 9 to 11, where it prefers alkaline soil. The weeping acacia reaches heights of 25 feet and has linear, blue-green foliage.

Bottlebrush

• The weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) has multiple trunks that support a low, pendulous canopy. This 25-foot-tall evergreen has aromatic, 4-inch-long foliage that grows at the tips of the tree's branches for a weeping form. It's hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11 and prefers sunny sites with moist, well-draining soil. The "Red Cascade" cultivar has similar cultural requirements, size and form, but blooms from spring through summer with large, bright red blossoms.

Other Trees

• The "Pendulus" smoketree (Cotinus coggygria "Pendulus") has multiple black trunks topped by a weeping canopy of deciduous foliage that turns gold, red and orange in fall. This tree grows from 15 to 25 feet tall and is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8, where it prefers sunny, well-draining sites. The smoketree colors the spring and summer landscape with its airy, white flowers. The "Ornatum" Japanese maple (Acer Palmatum "Ornatum" has a weeping canopy of red foliage that turns maroon in autumn, while its multiple gray trunks offers winter interest. Reaching heights from 12 to 20 feet, this cultivar is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 8 and prefers partial shade and acidic soil.