Shoka Mara / Weeping Willow

Plant Details

Scientific name

Salix babylonica

Genus

Salix

Family

Salicaceae

Found in India

Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya

Conservation status

Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Leaf arrangement

AlternaterecordedOne leaf per node, arranged in a spiral or zigzag up the stem.“The leaves are alternate and spirally arranged, narrow, light green, 4–16 cm (1.6–6.3 in) long and 0.5–2 cm (0.2–0.8 in) broad, with finely serrate margins and long acuminate tips;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Leaf margin

ToothedrecordedA saw-like or jagged edge (serrate or dentate).“The leaves are alternate and spirally arranged, narrow, light green, 4–16 cm (1.6–6.3 in) long and 0.5–2 cm (0.2–0.8 in) broad, with finely serrate margins and long acuminate tips;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Type

Simple

Characters marked “recorded” are for Shoka Mara itself; the rest are typical of the Salicaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower arrangement

CatkinrecordedA slim, often dangling spike of tiny, usually wind-pollinated flowers.“The flowers are arranged in catkins produced early in the spring;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Characters marked “recorded” are for Shoka Mara itself; the rest are typical of the Salicaceae family — flowering plants only.

Local Names

Kannada

ಶೋಕಮರ Shoka mara

Nepali

बैंस Bains, तिस्सी Tissi

About Shoka Mara

Weeping willow (Salix babylonica) belongs to the Salicaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and 2 other states.

Uses

In practice it is planted as an ornamental and valued as a shade and avenue tree.

Common plant problems

• Overwatering & Root Rot
• Houseplant Pests
• Leaf Spot on Plants
• Powdery Mildew on Plants

More in Salicaceae

• BakshelSalix tetrasperma