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Weeping Willow🌿
Salix babylonica
シダレヤナギ
A deciduous tall tree native to China, characterized by its long, pendulous branches. Commonly planted along waterways and riverbanks, it produces yellow-green leaves and catkins in spring. Cottony seeds called willow fluff are released in large quantities in early summer. It was introduced to Japan before the Nara period.
Identification Points
- ✓Branches hang down in long, pendulous curtains
- ✓Leaves are narrowly lanceolate, green on both surfaces
- ✓Produces slender catkins in spring
- ✓White cottony seeds (willow fluff) disperse in early summer
Habitat
Waterside, riverbanks, and parks (planted)
Season
March–April (flowers and leaf emergence); May–June (willow fluff)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf shape
Linear
Growth form
Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Petal fusion
No petals
Habitat
Wetland
Ovary position
Superior
Plant sex
Dioecious
Phylogenetic Positionヤナギ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Malpighiales > Salicaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene
Evolution Notes
The cottony seeds of the willow family are specialized for long-distance wind dispersal. They have a strong ability to colonize waterside habitats.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification