How To Plant A Weeping Cherry Tree

You’ve probably heard to the beautiful cherry trees in Washington DC.  I have never been there myself, but have always heard how beautiful it is when the cherry trees are blossoming.  After see the spectacular pictures of these trees it’s a wonder more people don’t have these trees implemented into their landscaping plans.

So maybe you have thought of adding a weeping cherry tree or two in your landscaping plan.  Although these are gorgeous trees, there is some very important information you should know.

Generally the weeping cherry does better in warmer climates.  The recommended planting zone is set for zones 4-8.  You might be able to get away with zone 3, but you will have to take extra precautions for the survival of your weeping willow.  It is also possible to have you weeping willow in colder climates, but that would require that it be planted in a container and be brought indoors in winter time.

As with any tree, when you dig the hole for planting, the hole size should be slightly larger than the container.  If you are lucky, you can find a permeable container that naturally breaks down in time.  When planting you want to disturb the roots as little as possible.  After you have dug you hole it is always a good idea to layer the bottom with a fertilizer.  You can ask your local garden center what fertilizer would be best for you tree.  You also need to make sure that the roots are  not standing in a water logged hole.  If the spot you picked it more on the moist side, you can always add some sand or gravel to the bottom of the hole for better drainage when watering.  This tree requires that it be watered frequently.  Because this tree is more susceptible to disease and fungus, extra care must be taken.

Another important piece of information is that technically this tree is grafted from another tree.  What happens is a bud is taken from a cherry tree and is grafted to a compatible tree called the stock root tree.  A slit is cut into the stock root tree and the bud is inserted into it.  After a short time the bud starts to grow.  After the bud gets to a certain size it is cut from the root stock and ready for the market.  The downfall of this procedure is that your weeping cherry tree will grow branches from the root stock. 

You will easily be able to notice which branches these are as they grow straight up from the tree versus the actual willow branches grow down in the hanging position.  The branches from the root stock must be pruned.  If allowed to grow, they will ruin the whole visual effect of the tree.  If done properly and right away, there will be very little damage if any to your tree.  If let go for too long and you got to trim the straight branches you will cause unsightly scaring to your tree.

When planting or transplanting your tree, the earlier in the growing season you do it the better.  This gives the tree time to re-root itself.  If planting is done to late in the season, you stand a good chance that your tree will not survive the winter.  So if you decide to transplant and it is later in the year you just might be better off waiting until spring.

You will also want to remember that this tree will end up with a circumference of anywhere between 20 – 40 feet.  So plan accordingly.  It is also recommended that a layer of mulch be added to the ground, matching the tree circumference.  This helps with maintaining the moisture that is much needed by this wonderful tree.

So if you are contemplating on planting a weeping cherry tree, these are some of the requirements of owning one.  They might be a little more high maintenance tree, but in the spring it will be all worth while.  Since this tree has not seen many yards you will probably have your friends and neighbors asking about your new addition to your landscaping.