Your views on weeping willows - varities??

Sparky100

Just looking for people's views on a weeping willow type tree.

My husband would like to get one for our garden but I would like to be sure that there is good height in the tree itself especially when the branches/leaves droop down.

Are there different varieties of the weeping willow and if so what ones would you recommend.

We have a large garden about an acre in size.

Thank you

rje66

Try these, but not sure how available they will be from nurseries

Salix(willow) alba 'Tristris'
Salix caprea 'Pendula'
Salix babylonica
Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa'

Oldtree

this from Kew outlines the situation nicely:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:aqxxQIlHdkwJ:www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Salix-x-sepulcralis.htm+Salix+babylonica+hybrid&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ie

Salix × sepulcralis 'Chrysocoma' is today the most widely grown weeping willow. This cultivar has now almost entirely replaced all other weeping willows in cultivation.

The original weeping willow, S. babylonica 'Babylon', has now almost disappeared in the UK, mainly because of its limited frost hardiness.

Other weeping willows occasionally planted are Salix × pendulina 'Elegantissima', which has a similar weeping habit but lacks the yellow branches, and S. × pendulina 'Blanda', a less weeping form with more silvery underside of the leaves - it is locally naturalised.

S. alba 'Tristis' (syn x sepulcralis chrysocoma)
mail order bare root in winter from many nurserys:

http://www.futureforests.net/br_willow.htm
or here:
http://www.newlands.ie/store/product/63664/SALIX-Sepulcralis-Chrysocoma-Golden-Weeping-Willow-10Ltr/
or here:
http://altnursery.ie/trees