Weeping Willow bonsai

Weeping Willow Bonsai Care

Salix babylonica

Zones 6 to 8, outdoor. Grown as a bonsai for its long, hanging shoots.

Salicaceae (the willow family) · Deciduous broadleaf tree; outdoor bonsai

At a glance

Type
Deciduous
Leaves
Deciduous
USDA zones
6 to 8
Indoor or outdoor
Outdoor
Growth rate
Fast
Styles suited
Cascade
Bonsai popularity
Tier 1

Close-up photo reference

Compare your tree against these to confirm the species and spot problems early.

Close view of furrowed weeping willow bark
Bark & trunk, Willow Coville · CC BY-SA 4.0
Weeping willow leaves and catkins
Flower, Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0

Weeping Willow quick reference

USDA zones6 to 8 [1]; other sources range from 5 to 8 [4] to 2 to 9 [2]
Indoor / outdoorOutdoor tree; overwinter it cold but frost-free, in an unheated greenhouse, shed or garage [15]
LightFull sun [16]; protect it from scorching summer sun [16]
WaterVery wet: it must not dry out [15] [16]; it tolerates standing water [1] [5]
SoilA mix that holds water but drains well, with a little pumice or limestone gravel [15]
RepotCan need it every year, when the buds begin to swell [15]
FrostNeeds winter protection in a container [15]; below 27°F (-3°C) fine branches can die back [16]
Mature height30 to 40 ft (9 to 12 m) [1] to 30 to 50 ft (9 to 15 m) [2] in the ground, with an equal or greater spread [2]
Growth rateFast [2]; it grows quickly [1]
Season of interestCatkins in early spring [5]; long hanging shoots [3]
Leaf reductionNot rated by the sources we checked
Main risksMain risk, not ranked by any source: drying out; on hot days it needs water several times a day [15]

Overview & Character

Weeping willow is grown as a bonsai for its long, hanging shoots. The species, Salix babylonica, is thought to come from China, though it no longer grows in the wild and its origin is uncertain [5]. Many trees sold as weeping willow are hybrids with white willow (Salix × sepulcralis) or with S. euxina [5], and Bonsai Empire treats S. babylonica, S. alba 'Tristis' and S. × sepulcralis 'Chrysocoma' as one bonsai subject [15].

It is not an easy bonsai [15]. It needs a lot of water, and its strong growth has to be controlled [15]. The shoots tend to grow upward, so they must be wired down to keep the weeping shape [15], and branches sometimes die back for no obvious reason [15]. Bonsai Empire advises building a larger tree, since the hanging growth needs space [15]. In return it grows fast [2] and is one of the easiest plants to propagate [16].

Identification

Foliage. Alternate, simple, narrow lance-shaped leaves 3 to 6 in long [1] [3] and 3/8 to 1/2 in [3] or 1/2 to 3/4 in [1] wide, with finely serrated margins [1]; light green above and grayish green beneath [1].

Bark & trunk. Gray-brown or gray-black with irregular furrows [1]. The wood is weak and cracks or breaks easily, especially under snow or ice [1].

Growth habit / form. Very slender, smooth twigs, olive-green to pale yellowish brown, hanging a long way [3].

Flowers / fruit / seeds. Male and female catkins, about 3/4 in (2 cm) [5] to 1 in [3] long, appear on separate trees in early spring [5]; the form usually found is female [4]. The fruit is a capsule that releases cottony seeds in late May to early June [1].

Look-alikes & how to tell them apart: Golden weeping willow (Salix alba 'Tristis') has bright yellow twigs [7] and leaves gray-green above and white beneath [7]. Salix × sepulcralis, the most commonly grown of the hybrids, also has bright yellow branchlets [5]. S. babylonica twigs are reddish to yellowish brown [1]. Dappled willow (Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki') is a different plant: a shrub of about 6 ft [8] grown for its variegated foliage [8].

Climate & USDA Zone

NC State rates weeping willow for USDA zones 6 to 8 [1]. Utah State gives 5 to 8 [4], UF/IFAS 2 to 9 [2], and Oregon State says S. babylonica is not cold tolerant [5]. Oregon State also notes that many trees sold under the name are hybrids [5]; golden weeping willow, for example, is rated for zones 4 to 8 [7].

In a bonsai container any of them needs winter protection [15]. Overwinter it somewhere cold but frost-free, such as an unheated greenhouse, garage or shed [15]; below 27°F (-3°C) the fine branches can die back [16]. Keep the root ball slightly moist all winter [15].

Light

In the landscape it grows best in full sun or partial shade [1], and its shade tolerance is low [4]. A willow bonsai wants a sunny place through the growing season [15], with semi-shade in the hottest weeks [15] or protection from scorching summer sun [16].

Watering

Very wet: the exception to the usual bonsai rule. Never let the soil dry out [15] [16]. In summer heat a willow bonsai drinks heavily and may need watering several times in one day [15]. In the landscape it tolerates frequent standing water and occasional flooding [1], though UF/IFAS rates a planted tree's drought tolerance as high [2]; the bonsai sources still say a potted willow must never dry out [15] [16].

On hot days you can stand the pot in a shallow bowl of water to avoid drought damage [15]. Bonsai4Me recommends that only on very hot days, not as a routine [16]. In winter, water less, but keep the root ball slightly moist [15].

Soil & Root Care

In the ground it grows in very moist soil, acidic to alkaline [1], and does best in moist, acidic soil [5]. For a bonsai, Bonsai Empire wants a mix that holds water yet drains well, with a little pumice or limestone gravel added, because willows prefer slightly alkaline conditions [15].

Its roots grow strongly and fill a bonsai pot very quickly, so it can need repotting every year when the buds begin to swell [15]. Bonsai4Me also repots in spring as the buds extend, and says repotting twice in one season, as some bonsai texts suggest, is not necessary [16].

Feeding

Bonsai Empire feeds solid organic fertilizer every six weeks, or liquid fertilizer every two weeks, through the growing season [15]; Bonsai4Me feeds every two weeks from spring until late summer [16]. Avoid high nitrogen, which brings large leaves, long internodes and more insect trouble [15].

Pruning & Styling

Bonsai4Me cuts back very hard in late winter [16], taking the branches nearly back to the trunk each winter [16]. Bonsai Empire removes shoots that grow from the trunk or other unwanted places in winter [15]. In summer, trim the new shoots back again and again [15] [16].

From June, wire the new shoots and bend them downward so they hang [15]. Because the shoots keep growing upward, the wiring is a constant job [15]. Remove wire in time, before it bites into the bark [15]. Pull older branches down with guy wires in spring [15]. Weeping and cascade styles suit it, in all sizes [16].

Seasonal Calendar

Care calendar by month

Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, shift every month by six.

Propagation & Cuttings

Ease: One of the easiest plants to propagate [16]. Best methods: stem cuttings [1] [15].

Willows root easily from cuttings [15], even in a glass of water [15]. Softwood or hardwood cuttings can be taken at any time [16], and the thicker the cutting, the higher the success rate [16]. Seed is short-lived: in willows that shed seed in summer it lives only up to about 8 weeks [6].

Pests

NC State lists aphids, mites, beetles, scale, borers, lace bugs and caterpillars [1]; bonsai growers add gall makers and gall mites [15] and sawflies [16]. Imported willow leaf beetle larvae skeletonize the leaves while the adults chew holes in them [14]; established trees usually tolerate it, and control is rarely needed [14]. Willow sawfly larvae feed on leaf edges, then eat whole leaves as they grow [13]. Borers push frass out of openings in the wood [12].

Disease, Fungus & Infection

Willow scab (Venturia saliciperda) and black canker (Glomerella miyabeana) are fungal diseases of willow, and control options are limited [9]. The University of Minnesota describes willow blight: as the buds open in spring, young leaves blacken, wither and drop [10], and small black sunken cankers on the twigs cause dieback, common in cool, wet weather [11]. Blights, powdery mildew, leaf spots and cankers are all listed [1], crown gall forms galls near the soil line [2] (UF/IFAS also notes weeping willow appears resistant to black canker [2]), and rust is reported on willow bonsai [15] [16].

Most Common Causes of Death

No source we checked ranks these. They are the main risks the sources describe, in no particular order:

Sources

  1. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Salix babylonica
  2. UF/IFAS EDIS ST576: Salix babylonica, Weeping Willow
  3. Virginia Tech Dendrology: Salix babylonica
  4. Utah State University Extension TreeBrowser: Willow, Weeping
  5. Oregon State University Landscape Plants: Salix babylonica
  6. USDA Forest Service, Woody Plant Seed Manual: Salix
  7. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Salix alba 'Tristis'
  8. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki'
  9. University of Illinois Home, Yard and Garden Pest Newsletter: willow scab and black canker
  10. University of Minnesota Extension: willow leaves with dots, spots or blotches
  11. University of Minnesota Extension: willow young shoots curled
  12. University of Minnesota Extension: willow branches with cracks or sunken areas
  13. University of Minnesota Extension: willow leaves with holes
  14. UMass Extension Landscape Insect and Mite Guide: imported willow leaf beetle
  15. Bonsai Empire: Weeping Willow bonsai (Salix) care
  16. Bonsai4Me: Salix species, Willow Bonsai

Growing a Weeping Willow bonsai

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