Long, drooping branches weep towards the ground on weeping trees. There are natural weeping trees, however they are mostly cultivars. Because of their droopy branches, weeping trees are often known as cultivar Pendula. The words “weeping” and “weeping” appear frequently in the common names of these trees.
Little landscaped gardens with tiny weeping trees add charm and elegance. While specimen trees, their long dangling and drooping branches make for excellent landscape design. Little or dwarf weeping trees can add a dramatic look to your home or yard if you have a small front or backyard and limited garden area.
Birch trees, cherry trees, willows, weeping redbud and maples are all examples of tiny deciduous weeping trees with stunning foliage that draws attention. Drooping branches that stay green all year long are seen on dwarf evergreen weeping trees like junipers, spruces, and cedar.
It is essential to choose a kind of little weeping tree that will grow in the area when purchasing one for your yard. In most growing zones, there are several distinct kinds of miniature weeping trees. Full sun and partial shade are required for most types of blooming weeping trees.
Several tiny evergreen weeping trees prefer bright conditions but may endure shadow and cold weather as well. The most stunning small and dwarf weeping trees for landscaping small yards will be discussed in this article. Pictures and descriptions of these tiny trees with drooping branches will aid in identifying them, along with their scientific names.
Small or Dwarf Weeping Trees for Landscaping
Little weeping trees are great options for landscaping a tiny front or backyard. Weeping trees are quite compact, despite their modest height. They don’t take up as much space since their branches hang down rather than spread out. As a specimen tree, dwarf and small weeping trees are best.
These trees can enhance modest yards without dominating on nearby flora by adding a focal point and drama. When the trees bloom, the color of their foliage, when they shed their leaves, and the amount of light they need are all factors to consider.
Small Weeping Trees for Landscaping (With Pictures)
Let’s take a look at some tiny garden and yard cascading trees that are amazing enough to fit into the examples.
Weeping Cherry Tree (Prunus pendula)
The weeping cherry tree is one of the most attractive kinds of decorative small weeping trees. The arching branches of this little flowering tree hang down, creating a broad crown. The rose-pink blooms of the weeping cherry tree, which bloom in early winter and late spring, are its loveliest feature. The pendulous limbs of this cherry tree do not create edible fruit. In the summer, dark green ovate leaves offer protection from the sun, but in the fall, they turn orange.
The 15 to 25 feet (4.5 to 7.6 meters) tall quick-growing ornamental tree has a broad canopy and prefers full sun. You may try the dwarf-sized weeping cherry tree Prunus ‘Snow Fountain,’ which grows to be between 8 and 15 feet (2.4 m – 4.5 m) and has lovely tiny white blooms if your area is really limited. These beautiful tiny trees thrive in full sun and partial shade and do well in zones 3 to 8.
Prunus “Snow Fountain,” a tiny weeping cherry tree, is seen in the image. It’s ideal for limited areas
Weeping Eastern Redbuds (Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ and ‘Lavender Twist’)
Eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis) are decorative deciduous trees native to eastern North America that are depicted in this photograph. When space is constrained, choose cultivars such as the eastern redbud types Ruby Falls and Lavender Twist. These tiny weeping trees are a great option. Ruby Falls weeping redbud produces gorgeous pink blooms in the spring and yellow heart-shaped leaves in the fall. As a specimen tree in a small garden, it’s an excellent choice.
The weeping redbud ‘Ruby Falls’ has a crown width of approximately 4 feet (1.2 meters) and grows up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall. ‘Ruby Falls’ redbud is hardy in USDA zones 5-9 and thrives in full sun to part shade with well-draining soil. Another small weeping redbud cultivar known as Cercis canadensis ‘Covey’ is the eastern redbud ‘Lavender Twist.’
After many years, this dwarf decorative weeping tree may grow to be 5 – 6.5 feet (1.5 – 2 meters) tall and broad. Redbud with a twisted trunk and branches has tiny pink-purple blooms that bloom in early spring. It’s nicknamed the “lavender twist.” It has yellow heart-shaped leaves that turn green in the fall.
To part shade and well draining soil, weeping redbud cultivar ‘Lavender Twist’ requires full sun, much like the cultivar known as the Ruby Falls. Lavender twist redbuds are more winter tolerant than ruby falls redbuds, and they can survive temperatures as low as -23F (-30C).
Weeping Mulberry (Morus alba ‘Chaparral’)
The dwarf weeping mulberry cultivar known as the white mulberry grows to a height of around 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and is commonly called the Chaparral. This is a short, bush-like tree that is easy to grow. Due to its large dark glossy green leaves, the foliage on this tiny cascading tree is thick. The arching branches have grown so long that they have to reach the ground by dropping.
White mulberry trees are most often planted as small specimens. The color of the mature fruits of this little weeping tree, known as the white mulberry, is what gives it its common name. When fully ripened, these fruits, like blackberries, turn white. If you live in zones 4 to 8, the weeping mulberry is ideal for small backyards. The tree thrives on most soils and needs full sun to partial shade.
Weeping Juniper Tree (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Tolleson’s Blue Weeping’)
Due to their droopy branches and decorative evergreen foliage, weeping junipers are popular trees in landscaped gardens. The needle-like leaves have a bluish-green color and are needle-like. A yard with little area can have an exotic appearance by planting a weeping juniper as a specimen plant.
This juniper cultivar has a beautiful romantic elegance and produces gently arching branches when allowed to grow freely. The pendant branches’ needle leaves have a pleasant fragrance. The juniper dubbed as the Tolleson’s Blue Weeping may reach a height of 20 feet (6 meters) and a breadth of 10 feet (3 meters). Zones 4 to 7 are ideal for the tree.
Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’)
This weeping blue atlas cedar cultivar is a fast-growing little tree with a Latin name that tells you it’s an evergreen. The silvery-blue spikes that cover the drooping branches add to its beauty and appeal, making it even more lovely. The popularity of weeping evergreen landscaping may be attributed to a number of factors. It’s simple to prune and form the pendulous branches of this weeping cedar, which is a fast-growing evergreen.
Have the cascading branches create an archway if you want to train the tree to become narrow and upright. The ‘Glauca Pendula’ cedar grows to between 3 and 12 feet (0.9 and 3.6 meters) tall, depending on its training. When grown in zones 6 through 9, thrives in full sun.
Weeping Birch Tree (Betula pendula ‘Youngii’)
This weeping birch cultivar is ideal for tiny front and rearyards, with its tiny drooping branches. The tree develops a pyramidal or oval form due to the arching pendulous branches. The leaves are ovate in shape and glossy green. This is a excellent tiny tree for concealing or as a windbreak in tiny yards due to the dome form and densely packed foliage of the weeping birch ‘Youngii.’
This is a excellent example tree for tiny landscaped yards in chilly climates, and it’s also suitable for small yards. In zones 2 to 7, this weeping silver birch cultivar grows to a height of 13 to 26 feet (4 to 8 meters).
Weeping Japanese Larch (Larix kaempferi ‘Diana’)
This interesting kind of larch is a weeping deciduous conifer that has hanging branches and is native to Japan. The weeping tree is slow growing in the first 10 years and stays small, despite the fact that it can reach a height of around 25 ft. (7.6 m). The Japanese larch has needle-like leaves, as do most conifers.
On pendulous branches that are twisted and contorted, clusters of these soft green needles grow. The needles of this weeping tree turn golden yellow in the autumn before falling, indicating that it is deciduous. In the first 10 years, this little weeping larch tree grows to a height of about 6 feet (1.8 meters). In zones 4 to 7, it’s useful for small garden landscapes.
Weeping Crabapple (Malus ‘Louisa’)
Plant a weeping crabapple tree if you want to add a lovely flowering tree to your small yard that blooms in the spring. It requires little care. For the majority of the year, these weeping fruit trees seem to provide color in your yard. Early spring red buds transform into lovely pink blooms, which develop into tiny golden apples.
For the most part of the winter, the yellowish-red fruits remain on the tree. The decorative weeping crabapple tree ‘Louisa’ grows to a height of 12 to 15 feet (3.6 to 4.5 meters). They’re also tough trees that grow well in climates 4 to 8 and need little care.
Weeping Norway Spruce (Picea abies ‘Pendula’)
This species of spruce is a weeping type of evergreen landscape tree that thrives in cold climates. When little else grows in cold regions, Norway spruce provides a rich green hue. This weeping evergreen can be cultivated upright or used as a groundcover. Due to its pendulous branches, the spruce creates a pyramidal shape as an evergreen with drooping branches.
The fact that this is a thin type of evergreen means you can grow a few even in a small garden.
Traditional spruces may grow to be up to 100 feet tall, while weeping Norway spruce is barely a foot tall. The height of the building is rather tall. Only 10 feet (3 meters) tall, the weeping cultivar ‘Pendula’ is a tiny evergreen.
Weeping White Pine (Pinus strobus ‘Pendula’)
The Eastern White Pine ‘Pendula’ is a lovely kind of weeping evergreen that can be planted in a tiny yard as a focal point. The drooping branches of this weeping pine tree have needle-like leaves that cluster together. They may grow as long as they want, becoming creeping groundcover in the process. To make the white pine branch upright, the trunk must be stalked.
The pendulous branches have a dense covering of soft blue-green needles. When mature, this fast-growing evergreen can grow up to 10 feet (3 meters). Pine cultivar ‘Pendula’ has an uneven growth pattern, making each one unique. As a showpiece specimen tree, plant it in a small front or backyard. It thrives in the 4 to 9 zone.
Japanese Maple Tree (Acer palmatum ‘Red Dragon’)
Plant a Japanese maple in your garden if you’re seeking for a colorful small tree with drooping branches. The “Red Dragon” cultivar is ideal. You can plant one of these tiny weeping trees in a container or use them in gardens with limited space. In a small yard, the ‘Red Dragon’ dwarf Japanese maple tree cultivar has a dramatic effect. The leaves are dragon-like claws and the foliage is vibrant red-purple.
The vibrant leaves change from a vivid red to a dark burgundy color from spring through summer. In your garden, the arching pendulous leaves create a crimson mound. Plant in a location in your yard that gets plenty of sunlight. These tiny weeping maple trees, which thrive in zones 5 to 8 and grow up to 6 to 8 feet (1.8 – 2.4 meters) tall, are colorful. They can withstand frost but must be protected from chilly breezes and require a lot of water in the summer.
Camperdown Elm (Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’)
The Camperdown elm is a little weeping tree with twisted limbs and a domed shape. The branches form a dome-like shape due to their gently arching nature. Its dense, rich foliage provides cover under its canopy. This tiny weeping tree, sometimes known as the Scotch elm, can only reach a height of around 10 ft. (3 m).
The tree’s wide domed top, which can reach up to 30 feet (9 meters), is readily visible in photos of this species. In zones 4 to 6, the Camperdown elm thrives. This species of elm is susceptible to Dutch elm disease, as are many other types.
Weeping Golden Ash (Fraxinus excelsior ‘Aurea Pendula’)
In the autumn, weeping golden ash’s green branches turn yellow, making it a small to medium-sized tree. The light green foliage on the droopy branches turns golden yellow in the fall. Like with many of the weeping trees on this list, the graceful arching weeping branches of the weeping golden ash may form an umbrella. Plant it in a sunny spot in your small yard. For zones 5 to 7, this is an excellent specimen tree.
Weeping Pagoda (Sophora japonica ‘Pendula’)
The pagoda shape of this beautiful tree earned it the moniker “Weeping Pagoda.” It is a compact garden treest suitable for low maintenance. The beautiful tree gently hangs down with its lush green leaves. This weeping landscape tree is native to China, despite its scientific name indicating it comes from Japan.
The weeping pagoda, which can reach a height of up to 15 feet (4.5 meters), is usually unsuitable for tiny gardens. You may be rewarded with lovely white blooms in the summer if your garden can accommodate this tiny weeping tree. This low-maintenance tree thrives in zones 4 to 8 and can tolerate a range of soil types, from drought to salt.
Dwarf Weeping Trees for Landscaping (With Pictures)
If you have a small garden with little space, a dwarf tree would be your best option. These cultivars produce tiny trees that seldom reach more than a few feet in height.
Dwarf Weeping Willow (Salix integra ‘Pendula Waterfall’)
Choosing a dwarf weeping willow if you adore the droopy look of weeping willow (as shown in the image) is a great option if you have limited space. This is a tiny tree with branches that droop in comparison to full-size weeping willows. With gently cascading branches, the willow ‘Pendula Waterfall’ lives up to its name.
This is a hardy willow tree that thrives on any type of soil. The bright green leaves on its pendulous branches are somewhat bent. For patios, decks, and small gardens, this weeping tree is a great option. In 20 years, the dwarf weeping willow only reaches a height of 5 feet (1.5 meters).
Dwarf weeping willow ‘Kilmarnock’
The little weeping willow known as the Kilmarnock is connected to the ‘Pendula Waterfall. This dwarf deciduous tree has an umbrella shape that grows to a height of 4 to 8 feet (1.2 to 2.4 meters). The branches of the arching cascading arms don’t go below the height of the canopy.
Weeping Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea Pendula’)
This dwarf weeping beech tree cultivar has a visual impact in any small backyard or front garden. It grows at a slow pace and has dark foliage. This cultivar is tiny and grows at a leisurely pace, unlike other beech trees. The dwarf weeping beech tree has cascading pendulous branches with deep red to copper leaves.
The stems arch up and slump to the ground, forming a mushroom shape. In the summer, the crimson leaves turn red, and in the autumn, they turn golden bronze. It’s simple to cultivate and thrives in gardens from zone 4 to zone 7.
Weeping Lindens (Tilia spp. ‘Pendula nana’)
This weeping cultivar is a nice specimen tree, especially when used as a landscaping option in small spaces. It’s also known as the penchant white lime, pendant silver linden, and weeping silver lime. Because of its tiny stature, it is ideal for yards with limited growing space. Other dwarf weeping linden cultivars like ‘Girard’s Pendula Nana’ should be considered if you want to landscape a small yard.
Siberian Peashrub (Caragana arborescens ‘Walker’)
A robust dwarf weeping tree for tiny front or rearyards is the Walker cultivar of Siberian peashrub. Even in harsh conditions, the Walker cultivar can flourish as a small tree. This peashrub arch has cascading branches that ascend and then fall straight down.
The branches appear weighted down by the foliage and yellow blooms when bright green leaves cover the tree in the spring, summer, and fall. In zones 2 – 7, this dwarf weeping tree may grow to 3 to 8 feet (1.2 to 2.5 meters).
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei ‘Acoma’)
The crape myrtle ‘Acoma’ cultivar is a semi-dwarf tree with white blooms that would be perfect for a tiny garden. In the summer, the cascading branches of the crape myrtle ‘Acoma’ are adorned with clusters of bright white flowers and glossy leaves.
The multi-stemmed dwarf tree resembles a green and white bouquet of flowers as a result of this. On this semi-dwarf tree, the branches arch upwards and barely sag downwards. The little tree might reach a height of 10 feet (3 meters) in the future. In your garden, you can plant a variety of tiny crape myrtles.
Dwarf Weeping Colorado Spruce (Picea pungens ‘The Blues’)
The Colorado spruce cultivar ‘The Blues’ is a weeping evergreen that is cold hardy and drought tolerant. It would look great as a small specimen tree in a yard with little area. On branches that droop down, it has silver-blue needle leaves. The evergreen is a slow-growing plant that only grows to around 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall, making it a dwarf weeper.
Lower branches may become rambling groundcover foliage if they droop low enough. This weeping spruce, which grows in zones 2 to 8 and is particularly cold-hardy, is a dwarf.