Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Some native "weeping" trees

Trees with naturally drooping leaves


Bald cypress branches with fruit. Image by Tatiana Gerus.
A tree is said to have "weeping" branches or foliage when the leaves hang down from their stems and branches. One Merriam Webster definition for weeping is "having slender pendent branches."

Without question, the weeping willow is the best-known and most exaggerated of all trees with this form, but it's certainly not the only one. Here are some other native American trees with pendulous branches.

Don't expect them to look like weeping willows. They look like their own unique selves.

Betula alleghaniensis -- Yellow birch
Betula lenta -- Sweet birch
Betula nigra -- River birch
Betula papyrifera -- Paper birch
Betula populifolia -- Gray birch
Oxydendrum arboreum -- Sourwood
Prunus serotina -- Black cherry
Taxodium distichum -- Common baldcypress (Bald cypress)
Tsuga canadensis -- Canada hemlock

Sourwood leaves and flowers
Image by Jim Conrad, www.backyardnature.net

Black cherry leaves and fruit
Image by Wikimedia contributor Pleple2000

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2008 at 5:40 AM

    The ‘Spirea Vanhouttei’ tree is another beautiful tree with
    sweeping branches that almost look ‘weepy’ to the viewer. The clouds of white flowers that cover the branches makes this privacy hedge look almost cheery though!Then there is the delicate Weeping Cherry tree which has fine light pink flowers and drooping branches.

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  2. BethJuly 1, 2008 at 12:57 PM

    I love our own Asimina triloba or Pawpaw tree. It's leaves droop and add tropical feel to the garden. One of my favorites!

    ReplyDelete