Exhibits, Shows and Displays

can I plant a weeping willow tree in standing water?

I recently purchased a weeping willow tree, In my yard I have a spot where there's standing water. Can I plant the tree in the water.

Public Comments

1. You can and it will probably be OK. They love to be next to standing water and will suck it right up: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/weeping-willow-tree-facts.html
2. Weeping Willows do like water and will even dry out small trouble wet spots in a yard. However, even weeping willows need dryer soil part of the time so the roots can breath. Saturated soil shuts off the oxygen to the roots and to the microorganisms that compost old plant matter in the soil and provide nutrients to the tree. When the roots are deprived of oxygen, they will rot and the tree can die. When the aerobic microorganisms die off, there is nothing left but anaerobic types and they don't compost soil matter fast enough to prevent a carbon build up in the soil. So if the puddle of water is big enough that the tree can't absorb it all and have some part time dry soil it is going to die from root rot and/or starvation.
3. Willows grow in standing water, but those I'm familiar with are not always in water. They have dry periods. You can plant it in the water. It will take quite well. The roots will reach areas which will allow it to breath satisfactorily. All the willows I've seen are on the edge of a water source, even though I've seen weeping willows in back yards. They will do okay there too. Just provide it with water as needed.