Weed Identification

Australia > > Weeping Willow

Weeping Willow

Salix babylonica

Family: Salicaceae. Genus: Salix. Subgenus: Salix ('tree' willows).

Form: Tree

Origin: Native of China.

Flowers/Seedhead: Always female, flower spikes (catkins) pendulous, 0.6–2.8 cm long and 0.7 cm wide, appearing with, or shortly after, first leaves in August and September. It is one of the earliest flowering willows in Australia.

Description: Spreading deciduous tree to 30 m high. Bark grey, moderately fissured. Leaves initially covered with fine hairs, soon becoming hairless. Mature leaves shiny green above, bluish-grey below, narrow-lanceolate, to 18 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, often with a wavy long tip and with non-glandular teeth 0.8 mm long.

Distinguishing features: Distinguished by dense foliage and long vertically weeping branches that often touch the ground in mature plants.

Dispersal: Spread by rooting of detached twigs or branches or by hybridisation with other species of subgenus Salix.

Confused With: Other weeping Salix species, see taxonomic texts.


Female catkins and greenish stems
Yarralumla, ACT, Oct

Notes: Some Australian records are referable to S. ×sepulcralis and S. ×pendulina. Previously often planted along watercourses and irrigation channels. Plants are damaged by willow leaf rust, Melampsora coleosporioides. Not classed as a Weed of National Significance (WONS) and sale not restricted in Australia. Salix babylonica hybridises with many species of subgenus Salix.

References:

    Flora of Victoria. N. Walsh and T. Entwisle (eds), Vol. 3, 1996, pages 387–398. Flora of NSW. G. Harden and L. Murray (eds), Supplement to Vol. 1, 2000, pages 61–67.

Web References: Search Australian web sites for further information on this weed.

Bark
Female catkins, Sept
Rust
Trees at Urana, NSW, March
photo J.J. Dellow

This weed has been included in the WEEDeck field guide as card T27

More information about WEEDeck is available from Sainty & Associates Pty. Ltd.

 

Australia > > Weeping Willow

SITE MAP

Site Map

National Weeds Strategy | Weed Identification | State and Territory Contacts | About Weeds Australia
Australian Weeds Committee | Target Species for Biological Control | Training and Materials
Web Addresses | Feedback | Weeds of National Significance | Noxious Weeds List
Glossary of Acronyms | National Weeds Management Facilitator

National Weeds Strategy
Telephone: (03) 6344 9657
Fax: (03) 6343 1877
Email: jthorp@weeds.org.au

Privacy Statement

Legal Notice

 Site Design - Computer Support Tasmania
© Australian Weeds Committee
National Weeds Strategy State and Territory Contacts Australian Weeds Committee Web Addresses and Other Stuff Weeds of National Significance Glossary of Acronyms Weed Identification & Information About Weeds Australia Target Species for Biological Control Training and Materials Feedback Noxious Weeds List Search Weeds Australia National Weeds Management Facilitator Home