10 Weeping Trees That Will Make a Dramatic Statement in Your Yard

These beautiful trees will become the focal point of your landscape.

Weeping trees have a beautiful drooping appearance and create the perfect focal point in any landscape. These plants have pendulous branches that can cascade all way the way to the ground, creating a canopy-like look that feels straight from a storybook. There are many varieties, from flowering types to evergreens, but no matter which one you choose, weeping trees will add a sense of drama to your front or backyard. Here, we're sharing a few particularly eye-catching varieties.

Meet the Expert

• Adrienne Roethling, garden director for Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden

• Kelly Funk, president Jackson & Perkins

Related: The Best Time of Year to Plant Trees So They're Sure to Thrive

Weeping Redbud

Weeping redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a native tree that does very well in eastern North America. "Come early spring, tiny lavender-purple, pea-shaped flowers are borne along the stems," says Adrienne Roethling, the garden director for Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden. 'Ruby Falls' and 'Lavender Twist' are two popular cultivars. This tree does not like wet feet, especially during winter, so make sure you plant it in an area with good drainage.

• Zones: 4 to 8

• Size: 6 to 8 feet tall x 5 to 6 feet wide

• Growing Conditions: Full to part sun; well-draining soil
  

Weeping Higan Cherry

Weeping higan cherry (Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’) is one of the earliest flowering cherries to bloom in spring. "They produce pale pink, rose-like flowers weeks before leaves emerge," says Roethling. "When the leaves do emerge, they are clear green and somewhat elongated and held on arching branches, offering a picturesque canopy for the summer months."

• Zones: 5 to 8

• Size: 20 to 40 feet tall x 15 to 25 feet wide

• Growing Conditions: Full sun; well-draining soil

Nootka Cypress

Weeping Nootka cypress (Callitropsis nootkatensis 'Pendula') has beautiful arching branches with scale-like leaves that hang in graceful pendulous sprays. Although it's native to the Pacific coast, it tolerates heat and humidity very well. "The color of the sprays are green but pick up a hint of blue-grey," says Roethling. "It’s one of those plants that needs to stand alone so that one can take in the magnitude of its perfection."

• Zones: 4 to 7

• Size: 20 to 30 feet tall x 10 feet wide

• Growing Conditions: Full to part sun; rich, well-draining soil

Weeping Peach

Another beautiful spring bloomer that weeps is the weeping peach tree (Prunus persica ‘Pink Cascade’). "The flowers are double, rose-like blossoms that are bright pink and cover the branches like a blanket," says Roethling. "Shortly after the flowers have finished, the thin, narrow leaves emerge with a copper hue." Despite its name, this tree rarely produces peaches. "They often produce a thick skin, a seed, and nothing in between," says Roethling.

• Zones: 5 to 9

• Size: 10 to 12 feet tall x 8 to 10 feet wide

• Growing Conditions: Full sun; well-draining soil

Weeping Willow

Perhaps the most popular of the weeping varieties, weeping willow (Salix babylonica) has pendulous, arching branches that produce a canopy-like effect. This quick grower is one of the first trees to leaf out in spring and the last to lose leaves come fall, giving you multiple seasons of interest. Prune heavy branches to help with breakage.

• Zones: 6 to 8

• Size: 30 to 40 feet tall x 30 to 40 feet wide

• Growing conditions: Full to part sun; acidic, moist soil

Acer Crimson Queen

A delicate and more petite variety of maple, acer crimson queen (palmatum var. dissectum) has a cascading structure that offers spring through fall interest. "This low-maintenance tree adds vivid color and textural interest and fits nicely in mixed beds as an accent or understory plant and in containers," says Kelly Funk, president of Jackson & Perkins.

• Zones: 5 to 8

• Size: 8 feet tall x 10 feet wide

• Growing conditions: Full to part sun; well-draining, normal to loamy soil

Marley's Pink Japanese Snowbell

This variety of Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonicus) has a more reliable weeping habit than most, says Funk. This cultivar also has larger, glossier leaves that are accented by dainty pink flowers that bloom from May to June and have a cotton-candy scent. Beyond how beautiful it is, Marley's Pink Japanese Snowbell has resistance to disease and pests and can live 40 years or more.

• Zones: 5 to 8

• Size: 8 to 10 feet tall x 4 to 5 feet wide

• Growing conditions: Full to part sun; moist, well-draining, normal to loamy soil

Himalayan Cedar

Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara) has weeping branches that become wide and spreading as it matures. Known as one of the most graceful conifers, this tree looks beautiful in landscape groupings or as a privacy screen. It has year-round gray-green leaves that provide interest throughout winter.

• Zones: 7 to 9

• Size: 30 to 50 feet tall x 30 to 40 feet wide

• Growing conditions: Full to part sun; clay, loamy, or sandy soils high in organic material

Related: 9 Fast-Growing Evergreen Trees That Will Be Tall Before You Know It

Weeping Birch

Birch tree (Betula pendula) has a pyramidal form when young and becomes more oval as it matures. Its drooping branches give the tree its signature weeping appearance. Birch trees do best in cool northern climates where summer temperatures don't typically exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Zones: 2 to 7

• Size: 30 to 50 feet tall x 10 to 30 feet wide

• Growing conditions: Full to part sun; clay, loamy, or sandy soils

Cercis Golden Falls

Cercis Golden Falls has lavender-pink flowers that bloom in spring, followed by large, orange-tipped leaves that age to a bright and colorfast golden yellow, says Funk. Its narrow and graceful weeping form and slow growth rate make it an ideal option for small spaces, or you can plant it in groupings.

• Zones: 5 to 9

• Size: 8 feet tall x 3 feet wide

• Growing conditions: Full to part sun; moist, well-draining, normal to loamy soil

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.