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Weeping Deciduous Shrubs

Sometimes it is helpful to consider the growth habit and silhouette of a plant when we want to add one to the garden. Weeping deciduous shrubs provide an accent, focal point in the garden without taking up too much room, or adding as much weight as an evergreen shrub would. Here are six top deciduous shrubs to consider.

Chaparral Weeping Mulberry Bush (Morus alba ‘Chaparral’) – Hardy zones 4-9. This tree is a dwarf weeping form of a familiar fruiting tree, the mulberry. This large shrub grows about 6′ tall and 6′ wide with graceful, weeping branches. This mulberry is a male cultivar and will produce no fruit. The branches will bend to touch the ground or you can prune them to form a small, umbrella shaped tree. See the difference between this trimmed and this untrimmed specimen.

Weeping Siberian Pea-shrub (Caragana arborescens ‘Pendula’) – Hardy zones 3a-7.The pea-shrub has a beautiful bright green foliage with graceful weeping habit makes this shrub a lovely addition to the garden. Grafted onto a hardy stockroot, some pruning may be necessary to prevent sucker roots. Golden yellow flowers are produced after the foliage appears each season. Prefers partial shade.

Weeping Japanese Pagoda Tree (Sophora japonica ‘Pendula’) – Hardy zones 4-8. An airy foliage texture and weeping growth habit make this large shrub a very graceful and eye-catching specimen. Sometimes called the weeping scholar tree, this accent plant will grow to a maximum of 15′ tall and 12′ wide. The pagoda tree prefers full sun, can tolerate drought conditions moderately well once established and has interesting flowers. (Scroll through the images on this website to see how the winter silhouette can still provides lots of winter interest)

Weeping Japanese Larch (Larix kaempferi ‘Pendula’) – Hardy zones 4-7. This larch is a very unusual looking specimen with a highly weeping form. The Japanese larch needs to be staked and essentially, the height at which you stake it determines how tall the plant is. All the pendulous branches will droop down from the staked plant in a dramatic fashion. This deciduous larch has greener needles than some varieties but the foliage turns bright yellow in the fall before dropping.

Rockspray Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis) – Hardy in zones 4-8 this beautiful deciduous shrub grow much wider than tall. The rockspray cotoneaster is about 3′ tall and 5-8′ wide depending on how far out the branches spread. Rockspray is a great common name for this plant because it looks great in rock gardens where it can really spread out. It does best if it is watered deeply occasionally. Preferring rich, semi-moist soil the leaves provide fall color and then drop leaving the arched branches covered in persistent red berries. Part shade is best, especially in drought conditions, but full sun is tolerated with more watering on hot days.

Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spirea vanhouttei) – Hardy in zones 3-5. This graceful shrub grows 5’x8’and is covered in beautiful white flowers in the spring. The foliage is attractive all season on long, arching branches and the spirea attracts butterflies to the garden as well. Spirea is easy to grow and prefers sun to part shade. Mild pruning each year in the late fall will keep the flower show looking its best.

See other plants with weeping form.