Trees With Weeping Branches

Willows

• All willow trees belong in the Salix genus of plants and are often referred to as “weeping willows.” The name weeping willow is actually the name of a willow cultivar, not the name of the entire genus of willow trees. However, all willow trees have the drooping branch characteristic. Willows are deciduous trees, meaning they lose their leaves when temperatures decrease in fall and winter. Some willow species found in the wild are the white willow (Salix alba), Brewer's willow (Salix breweri) and grey willow (Salix cinerea). Most willows are native to Asia and Europe, but some species, such as the black (Salix nigra) and sandbar willows (Salix exigua), are from North America.

Evergreens

• Evergreen trees maintain their foliage throughout the year, meaning they do not lose their leaves in the fall or winter. Since they do not lose their leaves when temperatures drop, gardeners plant weeping evergreens as ornamental pieces. One of the tallest weeping evergreen species is the Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum), which grows up to 30 feet tall. This tree is native to the Mountain West region of the United States. Other evergreens with weeping branches are the Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis).

Blossoms

• Two blossom trees have drooping branches, the Snow Fountains weeping cherry (Prunus spp. 'Snofozam') and the peach (Prunus persica). Blossoms are trees with a showy display of pink or white flowers from March to May; the exact blooming period for blossoms varies from species to species. These trees are also known as stone fruit trees, since the fruit on blossoms have hard seeds in the middle of the fruit's flesh. Most stone fruits are edible to humans. Examples of stone fruits are apples, peaches, cherries and plums.

Weepy European Beech

• The weepy European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is a deciduous tree native to Europe. This tree grows between 30 to 50 feet and features green leaves that turn to copper in the fall. Weepy European beeches are able to grow throughout most of the United States, except for some areas in the American Southwest and Southeast. In order to grow best, weepy European beeches prefer full sunlight and watering a few times per week. Overwatering causes damage to the tree's roots. Gardeners should plant weepy European beeches away from sidewalks since the trees' roots often emerge above ground.