Salix babylonica L.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Salicaceae

• Scientific Name

  Salix babylonica L.

• Description

  Species Description - Tree to 12 m, the cult. and escaped forms with long, slender, pendulous, olivaceous or yellow-brown, glabrous or subglabrous, basally brittle twigs; stipules lanceolate, 2–7 mm, or none; lvs lance-linear, 8–12 × 0.5–1.5 cm, mostly falcate, long-acuminate, finely but unevenly spinulose- serrulate, glabrous, yellowish-green above, ± glaucous beneath; petioles 7–12 mm, tomentose, often glandular above at the tip; catkins with the lvs, 1–2.5 (staminate to 4) cm, on peduncles 0.5–1.5 cm with 2–4 tiny lvs; scales pale yellow, crinkly-hairy, ± persistent; stamens 2; frs narrowly ovoid, 1.5-2.5 mm, sessile; style almost obsolete; stigmas brush-like (unique among our spp.); 2n=76. Native of China, sparingly escaped from cult. in our range.

• Common Names

  weeping willow