Babylon willow

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• weeping willow
• Babylon weeping willow
• Peking willow
• Chinese weeping willow
• Chinese willow
• Corkscrew willow
• Globe willow
• Tortured willow

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, placing it within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Malpighiales and the family Salicaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Salix.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution that spans across multiple continents and climate zones. In Middle Europe, it can be found growing in countries such as Austria and Belgium. Its range extends into Eastern Europe, specifically within the regions of South European Russia. Moving toward the southern hemisphere, the species is established in South Tropical Africa, notably in Zimbabwe. Finally, its presence is recorded in the Southern Africa region within the Cape Provinces.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Salix babylonica is characterized by its adaptability to a wide range of altitudinal gradients, spanning from sea level to a maximum elevation of 3800 m AMSL. While it is primarily identified as a lowland species, it demonstrates a significant vertical distribution, maintaining a mean elevation of approximately 745.33 m AMSL. This broad elevational range suggests the species can inhabit diverse topographical niches, though it most frequently thrives in lower-altitude environments.

Elevational range max:

3800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

745.333333333333 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Salix babylonica is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a long-term presence in its habitat. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated branches above the ground level, a growth form that facilitates its structural development into a large tree. The plant follows a deciduous pattern, shedding its foliage annually in response to seasonal changes, which plays a critical role in its physiological cycle and resource management. This combination of a perennial lifecycle, a phanerophyte life form, and deciduous behavior defines its biological strategy for survival and regeneration within its ecological niche.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Salix babylonica is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, which functions as a self-supporting structure rather than a climber or liana. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit epiphytic or aquatic tendencies, maintaining an independent existence without parasitic behavior. The plant's physical stature is quite significant, with a height that varies considerably depending on environmental conditions; it typically reaches a minimum height of 3 m, maintains a mean height of approximately 11.2 m, and can reach a maximum height of up to 30 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

30 m

Plant height mean:

11.2 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Salix babylonica is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's foliage exhibits significant morphological variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 3.5 cm to a mean of 8.0625 cm, reaching a maximum of 16 cm. The leaf width follows a similar range, with a minimum of 0.5 cm and a maximum of 2.5 cm, resulting in a mean width of 1.15 cm. In terms of water storage and tissue structure, the species does not exhibit succulence, and it does not function as a nitrogen fixer. Furthermore, the structural integrity of the plant is supported by its stem, which possesses a mean stem specific density (SSD) of 527.5 mg/cm³.

Leaf length max:

16 cm

Leaf length mean:

8.0625 cm

Leaf length min:

3.5 cm

Leaf width max:

2.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

1.15 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

527.5 mg/cm³

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Salix babylonica is characterized by a sexual reproductive strategy, as the species is dioecious and lacks any documented asexual reproduction methods. The flowering period typically occurs in the early spring, beginning in February and concluding in April. During this phase, the plant utilizes a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Following successful pollination, the plant develops small fruits that range in length from a minimum of 0.3 cm to a maximum of 0.6 cm, with an average fruit length of approximately 0.39 cm. The resulting seeds are extremely lightweight, maintaining a consistent mass of 3.8e-05 g across the minimum, mean, and maximum measurements. Dispersal of these seeds is classified as unspecialized, allowing the plant to utilize various environmental mechanisms to spread its progeny.

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Flowering time :

Feb

Flowering time :

Apr

Fruit length max:

0.6 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.391666666666667 cm

Fruit length min:

0.3 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

dioecious

Seed mass mean:

3.8e-05 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Salix babylonica has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Hypoglycemic.

Hypoglycemic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Salix babylonica has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include hypoglycemic.

Hypoglycemic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)