Weeping Willow is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 6 through 9. Its spring flowers are a real draw for honeybees and native bees.
Weeping Willow — the short answer
Weeping Willow: grown in zones 6–9, full sun, pH 6–8.
- USDA zones
- 6–9
- Hardy to zone 6a — NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
- Soil pH
- 6–8
- FAO ECOCROP
- Sun
- Full Sun
- We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Frost-kill temp (growing season)
- 32°F
- FAO ECOCROP
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Weeping Willow on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether weeping willow actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score weeping willow against your land's real conditions.
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What Weeping Willow is
Weeping Willow grows as a perennial and reaches around 45 feet at maturity. It blooms in spring.
Mature height: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
How to grow Weeping Willow
Weeping Willow grows in USDA zones 6 through 9. Weeping Willow does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 8, on evenly moist to well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
6-9
Rated hardy to zone 6a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: not verified.
Soil pH
6 - 8
FAO ECOCROP
Sun
Full Sun
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Drainage
poorly (saturated >50% of year), well (dry spells)
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Frost Kill Temperature
32°F
Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.
FAO ECOCROP
Minimum Growing Temperature
50°F
Below this it stops growing rather than dies — a pace limit, not a survival limit.
FAO ECOCROP
Mature Height
45 ft
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Plant it right
Set weeping willow in full sun with evenly moist to well-drained soil. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Match the soil
Weeping Willow prefers pH 6 to 8 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Shape it while it is young
Prune weeping willow only to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches while it is young; it is grown for its form, not a harvest, so little more is needed once it settles in.
Where Weeping Willow thrives
Weeping Willow is hardy across USDA zones 6 through 9. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 6–9 spans average winter lows from -10°F to 30°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 14 outright and splits 34 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 6–9·Where Weeping Willow growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Weeping Willow stands, state by state
Weeping Willow is rated for zones 6–9 — a cold floor USDA puts at -10 to 0°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 14 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 34 more, and 3 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 6–9
14 states
- Arkansas · zones 6b-8b
- Connecticut · zones 6a-7b
- Kentucky · zones 6a-7b
3 of 14 shown
The line runs through
34 states
3 of 34 shown
Weeping Willow’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
Outside zones 6–9
3 states
- Minnesota · zones 3a-5a
- North Dakota · zones 3b-4b
- South Dakota · zones 4a-5b
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant often works in a container that comes under cover. Each link is that state’s own growing hub.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Weeping Willow
Growing guides for weeping willow
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — weeping willow is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Pet Poison Helpline.)
Weeping Willow is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Your land is one point inside Weeping Willow's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Weeping Willow will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether weeping willow actually takes. We score it against the mapped and modelled conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Weeping Willow
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Weeping Willow in my zone?
Weeping Willow grows in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 9 (Rated hardy to zone 6a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: not verified.). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Weeping Willow?
Set weeping willow out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Weeping Willow need?
Weeping Willow needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Weeping Willow need?
Weeping Willow prefers soil pH 6 to 8, on evenly moist to well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's mapped soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Weeping Willow attract pollinators?
Yes — weeping willow's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees and native bees. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Is Weeping Willow safe for pets?
Weeping Willow is toxic to dogs and cats with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Pet Poison Helpline.)
Keep exploring Weeping Willow
Weeping Willow state by state
Every state weeping willow's zone reaches — 42 link straight to that state's weeping willow growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.