Why Do Weeping Willows Weep?

Why do weeping willows weep?

Some plants possess the name which has biblical origin. One of them is called ‘burning bush’. A plant with scientific name of ‘Salix babylonica’ is called as weeping willow. The name of this plant is kept as weeping willow as it was considered as willow of Babylon. This name came from the biblical translation which says that the Jews went to Babylon on exile and started to cry when they memorized Zion. They also attached harps to the willows which were lying pendent till then.

The name of the weeping willow was given to that plant as it not only hangs down, but also sheds off lot of waste onto the ground. These plants were known to be dropping plethora of branches. These plants are mostly seen nearby watery places like ponds or any other watery sources. That is why these plants are considered to be weeping as they take in large quantities of waters into them.

Actually weeping willows do not weep. The term called “weeping” indicates that the branches are bending down just as the tears are striding down. These elongated graceful branches of Salix babylonica will bend down in pendulous way to make the tree appear as if it is weeping. This tree has very hard trunk and is observed to be growing rapidly. These trees look very marvelous with the hanging branches with the color modification of the leaves to golden color at the time of fall. These trees are known to have become tolerant towards smog and various pollution types. They are able to survive in both the dry and moist weathers. They are known to give lot of shade and rich look to the surrounding areas. This tree will shed away its branches very easily and hence, the waste from the plants has to be cleaned periodically.