The Weeping Willow (Salix Babylonica) Presented by: Chloe Peeples
Where Does the Weeping Willow plant live?
1. Habitat, location in the world: The Weeping Willow is native to China, but has been cultivated for a millennia in Asia. The Weeping Willow was commonly traded in the Silk Trade Route in Southwest Asia and Europe, which led to a spread to new countries. Today, the Willow is commonly found living across North America thriving in zones 6-8 shown below.
2. A. Taxonomy of the Weeping Willow: Kingdom: Plantae, Class: Magnoliapsida, Order: Malpighiales, Family: Salicaceae, Genus: Salix, Species: Salix Babylonica, Division: Magnoliaphyta
2. B. Other closely related species: Salix Matsudana, Salix Sepuleralis, Camperdown Elm, Golden Curls Willow, Inversa Norway Spruce
Photo of The Weeping Willow
3. A. Anatomy: (external structure)The Weeping Willow can grow to be anywhere between 30'- 70' with a diameter of 1'-5'.The fruit produced comes in capsules that are fleshy, brown, and between the size of a quarter and the length of a credit card. The seeds of the Willow are capsules which burst so that they may become enveloped in a white, cottony seed mass that will float in the wind for the purpose of reproduction.
3. B. Stem, Roots, and Leaves: The stem of the Weeping Willow can grow up to 24" per year and grow to be about 1' to 5' in diameter with brown bark and ground sweeping branches sprouting out from the stem.
3. B. The roots of the Willow are extensive systems that grow past their ground sweeping branches. These root systems are hostile and can damage concrete pavements and buried structures surrounding them. Their roots form a sequence of shallow roots that can spread out three times the length between the end of the tree's canopy and its stem.
3. B. The leaves of the Weeping Willow are flat, long, and narrow. They also have short stems and are approximately .25- .5 inches wide.
3. C. Adaptations: The Willow tree has tough roots which grow both above and below the ground with the goal of obtaining as much water as possible. Thick, scale-like bark gives protection from harmful elements. The bark also has a large amount of salicylic acid in it which acts as a pathogen and protects the plant Willow from infection and diseases.
Rare Species of Grandmother Willow
4. A. Reproduction: (Seed Type) The seeds of the Willow are capsules which burst so that they may become enveloped in a white, cottony seed mass that will float in the wind for the purpose of reproduction.
4. B. The Weeping Willow is dioecious plant, or a plant that produces either male or female reproductive organs. The female reproductive and the male reproductive parts of the Willow are the catkins since the tree is dioecious.
4. C. The Willow can asexually reproduce in the form of cuttings and rhizomes. Willow trees are also about to conduct reproduction from the branches and stems breaking off and taking root in the ground.
Role in Ecosystem
6. A. Role in Ecosystem and Human Uses: (Symbiotic Relationships) The Weeping Willow are dioecious meaning all male catkins are produced in one plant. They start to flower in early January whereas other species don't begin to flower until April. The Willow tree provides a constant supply of pollen and nectar to those plants who have yet to flower. This is necessary in the production of pollen when little to none of the flowers are available for the insects. The Weeping Willow also provides solace for animals who require low-lying homes.
6. B. More than 400 species of Weeping Willow trees were found in the Northern hemisphere alone. Just under five feet tall, the tree can sell for up to $30. A tree over five feet will range from 30$ to the thousands depending on the age of the tree.
6. C. The Weeping Willows are of importance to humans because of the role they play in keeping the ecosystem balanced and because of the salicylic acid which can be extracted from the bark to be made into aspirin. The salicylic acid was commonly used as a fever reducer before common household medicines were sold in stores. American Indians discovered that by drinking or bathing in a combination of the Willow's roots and bark can provide many health benefits.
Bibliography:
http://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/willow_tree_facts/555/
https://oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/willow_weeping/willow_weeping.html
https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=938
http://stewartstreeservice.biz/a-couple-of-facts-that-makes-the-weeping-willow-an-amazing-tree/
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-weeping-willow-tree-using-branch-41548.html
http://www.plantingdirections.com/weeping-willow-tree-planting-directions/