Weeping trees

It is a good time to notice the silhouette of the weeping tree in some of the gardens around you..

There are a huge number of fabulous weeping trees some small, medium and large. Here is a little guide to help you understand some more that fit into the weeping category. 

'Have your say - share your views'

Register for FREE if you have not already registered and then click HERE to create a NEWTOPIC and tell us about your favorite weeping trees?

Salix purpurea Pendula is also called the Weeping Purple Willow.  This wonderful tree grows 12 to 15 feet over 10 years and creates a bushy, weeping head of grey, green, purple, small leaved and dark stems to the foliage.  As with all willows, be prepared to position them, where there is naturally moist ground and you will have a much more proportionate tree than in drier ground where the roots may travel further to get moisture.

Pyrus salicifolia Pendula which is also known as the Weeping Silver Pear.  This wonderful tree also grows 12 to 15 foot tree can be pruned to make a lovely silver umbrella.  Remember this is technically related to the rose and therefore needs to go into clean ground away from other rosaceous rootstock such as fruit trees and Laurel hedges.  This tree loses its leaves in winter as does the Willow above.

Ilex aquifolium Argentea Pendula which is a wonderful, evergreen weeping Holly is a fantastic, slow-growing tree for the shade, under the canopy of much larger trees like oak and beech.  This tree really is a focal point in its own right as it matures.

Cotoneaster hybridus Pendula is a compact evergreen, with white flowered in spring and red berries in autumn and makes a fantastic centrepiece for a small lawn.  It is important to remember that this is technically related to rose and therefore it requires clean ground, as does the Pyrus mentioned above.  I always feel this looks good if you can only underplant it with a small amount of compact, low growing plants or just position next to a rock so that you can really appreciate the form as the tree gets older.  I always feel with weeping trees that it is a shame to plant lots of large plants around them which in turn hides the beauty of the weeping silhouette.

Malus Red Jade is a weeping Crab Apple that has red fruit in the autumn.  Remember this is also related to the rose and therefore needs clean ground for its positioning.  It also requires a nice, sunny position for best results.

There are dozens more weeping trees suitable for the small garden, not mentioned above.  It would be worth visiting National Gardens scheme Gardens, nurseries and garden centres to give you additional ideas as these types of articles are really designed to inspire you to look into things further, prior to you planting one in your garden that will be there for many years.

Medium sized weeping trees

Betula pendula Purpurea is the Weeping Purple Birch, fairly narrow inhabit, having an open habit which allows plenty of light in.  The birch family are about as graceful as they come.

Ulmus camperdownii is the weeping glabra Elm and makes a fantastic tree suitable for a smallish area for many years but will get into the realms of 20 foot plus after 30 years or so.  Has a fantastic yellow autumn colour with yellow flowers late winter and zigzag stems.

Populus tremula Pendula is a weeping aspen 30 to 40 feet in as many years.  Moist ground is best.

Prunus x yedoensis is a wonderful weeping cherry with a fabulous outline.  The flowers are apple blossom like colour and it has pretty insignificant red fruits.  Remember with fruit trees and flowering cherries that they are all related to roses and therefore they need to be planted in clean ground away from the root systems of other rosaceous trees, such as an old Laurel hedge.

Malus floribunda is the weeping crab apple capable of 30 foot or so and this one is pink flowered in the spring and yellow fruits in the autumn.  Again remember that the crab apple is also a rose and therefore needs to be positioned accordingly.

Large weeping trees

Fagus sylvatica pendula is one of the most stunning, stand-alone trees available.  If I planted 15 or these, they would all be different.  This makes it really special if you are lucky enough to have the space for this.  It is a green weeping Beech, up by the hundred footmark, given 150 years to do it.

Salix x chrysocoma is a large weeping willow with bright yellow stems and hanging branches, the usual viewpoint being close to a large lake or riverside.  Again gives this one plenty of space as it is capable of just under hundred feet with age.

Parrotia persica Pendula is the weeping Persian Ironwood and is a fantastic tree, wide spreading, pendulous branches an amazing autumn colour, needs neutral to acid soil and plenty of space.

Faxinus excelsior Pendula is the giant weeping Ash, again suitable for the park.  I have had many a customer over the years who have had this in their garden, and cursed it for its messiness, I liked the tree, but definitely best in the park.

Tilia petiolaris or the Weeping Silver Lime Hasa pendant habit to its branches, making a fabulous outline after its yellow autumn colour.  This is relatively small as Lime trees go, but it is still one for the the park or large garden. In time it can grow to eighty feet.

Conifers, small and weeping

Juniperus communis Horstmann's Pendula is a fantastic silvery blue small conifer that is slow-growing and creates fishing rod shape with age.  This requires good drainage and a sunny position to do well.

Cedrus deodora Feelin Blue is one of my favourite all-time small conifers with its wonderful pendant habit.  This conifer is only a couple of foot wide and a couple high in 10 years.  Most people would panic if I said that it is a Cedar and it's fine for a small garden, but this really is a small gem of a plant.  A sunny position and good drainage is best and ideally position it where you can enjoy the pendant habit by perhaps planting it in a slightly raised position.

Larix decidua Puli is a wonderful top grafted miniature larch with a fantastic pendulous habit.  It is almost as if the tree has dreadlocks in the winter, when the needles have fallen off and there are branches with nodes that looked like knots in a piece of string.

Tsuga canadensis Jeddeloh is a dwarf hemlock which stays low for many years and over time, the middle builds up and the outer branches all start to tumble, making this a real spectacle against some raised steps.

Cedrus deodora Golden Horizon, is twice the dimensions of that of Cedrus deodora Feeling Blue and has a golden tint to its foliage.

Conifers, medium and weeping

Ginkgo biloba Pendula is a fantastic deciduous conifer with amazing yellow autumn colour and is slow-growing, but just remember this tree will be in the same place in many many hundreds of years time so it is important to give it the space it requires.  This form is similar to the normal Ginkgo biloba but it has a much accentuated weep to its branches.  Good drainage is essential.

Sequoia Gigantium Pendula makes a twisting spiraling column with all its foliage drooping.  This is probably one of the most bizarre spectacles, in the conifer world, but fantastic nonetheless.

Picea Omorika Pendula is best described as a weeping Christmas tree in appearance.  Full Sun is required to this wonderful conifer.

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Pendula is pyramidal in habit and requires wet ground to do well.  The smaller branches all tumble downwards, away from the main branches.  This is a very under used conifer and it really is such a fantastic, slower growing, but nonetheless it will achieve 30 foot plus 25 years.

Conifers, large and weeping

Picea breweriana has the common name of the Brewers Spruce and makes the most amazing curtain effect from its branches.  Spraying Picea against Red Spider Mites is a good thing to do, during the growing season.  All policy requires good drainage and lots of sun.

Cedrus atlantica Glauca Pendula is in my book, 1 of the most stunning conifers available for a dramatic, stand-alone, erratically weeping tree, only suitable for really large lawns or parkland.  The Cedar in question is slow to take its ultimate shape, and really realistically, in my lifetime, if one was planted tomorrow it would be less than halfway to its glory in the next 50 years or so.  These are very long-lived trees and it is very satisfying to know that a tree can be planted in yours and my lifetime and enjoyed by several generations to come.

Tsuga heterophylla is a beautiful, stand-alone hemlock capable of becoming a big, larger needled, Christmas tree like, tree with wonderful nodding ends to its branches, making a fantastic, shaggy pyramid.  Again, only really suitable for someone with serious space.

I hope this gives you an insight into thinking carefully before a buy a Weeping Tree as you want to get the right one for your environment and one that you and future generations can enjoy...Good Luck!

'Have your say and share your views'

Register for FREE if you have not already registered and then click HERE to create a NEWTOPIC and tell us about your favourite weeping trees?