Salix Babylonica Tree Biography
Salix babylonica (Babylon Willow or Peking Willow; Chinese: 垂柳) is a species of willow native to dry areas of northern China but cultivated for millennia elsewhere in Asia, being traded along the Silk Road to southwest Asia and Europe
Salix babylonica is a medium- to large-sized deciduous tree, growing up to 20-25 m tall. It grows rapidly (how fast?), but has a short lifespan; between 40 to 75 years. The shoots are yellowish-brown, with small buds. The leaves are alternate and spirally arranged, narrow, light green, 4-16 cm long and 0.5-2 cm broad, with finely serrate margins and long acuminate tips; they turn a gold-yellow in autumn. The flowers are arranged in catkins produced early in the spring; it is dioecious, with the male and female catkins on separate trees.
A similar willow species also native to northern China, Salix matsudana (Chinese willow), is now included in Salix babylonica as a synonym by many botanists, including the Russian willow expert Alexey Skvortsov. The only reported difference between the two species is that S. matsudana has two nectaries in each female flower, whereas S. babylonica has only one; however, this character is variable in many willows (for example, crack willow [Salix fragilis] can have either one or two), so even this difference may not be taxonomically significant
Salix babylonica (Babylon Willow or Peking Willow; Chinese: 垂柳) is a species of willow native to dry areas of northern China but cultivated for millennia elsewhere in Asia, being traded along the Silk Road to southwest Asia and Europe
Salix babylonica is a medium- to large-sized deciduous tree, growing up to 20-25 m tall. It grows rapidly (how fast?), but has a short lifespan; between 40 to 75 years. The shoots are yellowish-brown, with small buds. The leaves are alternate and spirally arranged, narrow, light green, 4-16 cm long and 0.5-2 cm broad, with finely serrate margins and long acuminate tips; they turn a gold-yellow in autumn. The flowers are arranged in catkins produced early in the spring; it is dioecious, with the male and female catkins on separate trees.
A similar willow species also native to northern China, Salix matsudana (Chinese willow), is now included in Salix babylonica as a synonym by many botanists, including the Russian willow expert Alexey Skvortsov. The only reported difference between the two species is that S. matsudana has two nectaries in each female flower, whereas S. babylonica has only one; however, this character is variable in many willows (for example, crack willow [Salix fragilis] can have either one or two), so even this difference may not be taxonomically significant
Salix Babylonica Tree
Salix Babylonica Tree
Salix Babylonica Tree
Salix Babylonica Tree
Salix Babylonica Tree
Salix Babylonica Tree
Salix Babylonica Tree
Salix Babylonica Tree
Salix Babylonica - Weeping Willow Tree
Plant ID: Weeping Willow (Salix Babylonica)
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