Salix x sepulcralis (golden weeping willow)

The golden weeping willow is an artificial hybrid of two willow cultivars, from which it has inherited a weeping habit and golden branches. It is widely grown as an ornamental, especially near water.

Golden weeping willow in Kew Gardens (Image: Rafaël Govaerts, RBG Kew)

About this Species

Salix x sepulcralis 'Chrysocoma' is today the most widely grown weeping willow. The cultivar was first made available by Späth (Berlin) in 1888 under the name Salix vitellina pendula nova. In 1908, Dode gave it its official name 'Chrysocoma'. It is an artificial hybrid between Salix alba 'Vitellana', which provides the characteristic yellow stems and frost hardiness, and Salix babylonica 'Babylon', which provides the weeping habit. This cultivar has now almost entirely replaced all other weeping willows in cultivation.

The original weeping willow, S. babylonica 'Babylon', first introduced to England, to Twickenham, in 1748 by a Mr Vernon, has now almost disappeared in the UK, mainly because of its limited frost hardiness. A few trees do however still survive near Twickenham. Other weeping willows occasionally planted are Salix x pendulina 'Elegantissima', which has a similar weeping habit but lacks the yellow branches, and S. x pendulina 'Blanda', a less weeping form with more silvery underside of the leaves - it is locally naturalised.

Geography & Distribution

Golden weeping willow is an artificial hybrid, widely cultivated across the world.

Description

This is a fast-growing tree which forms an elegant, weeping dome. The new, young growth is a rich golden colour which fades to brown as it matures. The weeping branchlets ultimately grow to a great length. The leaves are lanceolate, glossy green and glaucous beneath at first. Catkins appear with the leaves in late March until April, with both male and female flowers in the same catkin. This hybrid received the award of garden merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1984.

Uses

The golden weeping willow is grown as an ornamental tree. The parent species of this hybrid, like other Salix species, have a long history of use for basketry, timber and medicine. One of them, Salix babylonica 'Babylon', was the inspiration for willow pattern crockery.

Cultivation

Salix x sepulcralis by river (Image: Rafaël Govaerts)

Although the golden weeping willow is normally grown near water, it does equally well in dry places. Because the subtropical Salix babylonica 'Babylon' is one of its parents, golden weeping willow is remarkably heat-tolerant and can even be grown successfully in tropical gardens. It is a fairly short-lived tree and after 30-40 years large limbs are likely to break off. The tree can also suffer from a number of diseases, scab and canker (willow anthracnose) being the most serious as it discolours the branchlets with black scars. Aphids, caterpillar or looper, dieback, galls, powdery or downy mildew, nematodes and stem-borer insects can all be a problem.

Useful Links

Twickenham Museum

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