The Weepers and the Creepers: 10 Intriguing Trees for a Garden with Character

Certain trees are an acquired taste, like fine wine. Anyone can grow a straight-up tree, but it takes a special person to appreciate one that crawls, twists, or dives back to the ground. If they could talk, they'd share wisdom and unforgettable stories. Sound intriguing?

Most know weeping willow, weeping cherry, Harry Lauder's Walking Stick. But perhaps you want something different to express your individuality. Here are 10 favorites and how to make them truly yours.

Jay Sifford Garden Design

1. Pendulous Norway Spruce (Picea abies 'Pendula')

A garden workhorse. Nurseries stake to 6–8 feet; then it expresses individuality with unique twists, turns, cascades. No two alike — select firsthand for your design. I have four; three on a high ridge named "The Elders" for their austere old-man vibe.

• USDA zones: 2–8
• Water & soil: Average water; well-draining soil
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Mature size: Generally 8–10 feet tall (depends on staking)
• When to plant: Fall or spring

Jay Sifford Garden Design

2. Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula')

Another workhorse. Specialty nurseries carry two weeping forms: serpentine-trained and staked, or hooked pattern bending back to ground. Powdery blue foliage complements burgundy Crimson Queen Japanese maple or purple smoke bush. Slow grower but can become large — needs training/pruning.

I created a living fence with five trained along a horizontal pole — wonderful perennial backdrop. A lone specimen anchors burgundy heucheras (zones 4–9) or low Purple Pixie loropetalums (zones 7–10). Add Japanese iris (zones 4–9) for contrast between weeping tree and vertical iris.

• USDA zones: 6–9
• Water & soil: Average water; well-draining soil
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Mature size: 10 ft tall, 15 ft wide in 20 years unless pruned; larger with age
• When to plant: Fall or spring

Jay Sifford Garden Design

3. Cascade Falls Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum 'Cascade Falls')

Amazing conifer — one of few deciduous conifers. Delicate fern-like foliage emerges chartreuse in spring, turns rich orange in autumn. Develops amazing cones in late summer, beautiful exfoliating bark. Grows in very wet or average soil — perfect for challenging wet spots.

Try one trained up an arbor instead of a vine — clematis-loving friends will be envious.

• USDA zones: 4–10
• Water & soil: Wet to average soil
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Mature size: Generally 8 feet tall (depends on staking)
• When to plant: Fall or spring

Jay Sifford Garden Design

4. Twisty Baby Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady')

Grows like upright Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, reaching ~15 feet. Great patio tree guaranteed to start conversations. Prune to encourage contorted growth and control size. Attractive bright green panicles of small round foliage; yellow autumn color.

I grow mine in a large pot for more presence.

• USDA zones: 4–9
• Water & soil: Average, well-draining soil
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Mature size: 15 ft tall and wide if unpruned
• When to plant: Fall or spring

Jay Sifford Garden Design

5. Ryusen Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Ryusen')

Truly outstanding, unlike any other maple. Found at specialty nurseries, staked 5–10 feet, then heavily weeps. Green foliage turns beautiful yellow-orange in autumn. Stunning beside a pond, reaching down to reflect in water. Also great in tall ceramic pot for Asian look.

• USDA zones: 5–9
• Water: Average
• Light: Partial sun
• Mature size: Up to 10 feet tall (depends on staking)
• When to plant: Fall or spring

Jay Sifford Garden Design

6. Weeping Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis 'Pendula')

Spreading conifers elevating arthritis to art. Some creep along ground, meandering and fanning; others staked upright then cascade. All worth growing. Cultivars: Sargeant's Weeping, Cole's Prostrate, Verkode's Recurva. Handpick for your space. Use extra care transporting — some cultivars brittle.

Caution: If your area has woolly adelgid, skip this group. Most remain small and could be sprayed if needed.

• USDA zones: 4–8
• Water: Average
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Mature size: Generally 2–8 feet tall (cultivar and staking dependent)
• When to plant: Fall or spring

Jay Sifford Garden Design

7. Blue Snake Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara 'Blue Snake')

Dwarf among deodars, 10-year height of 8 feet. Two forms: staked until central leader strengthens (upright weeping), or unstaked, meandering snake-like across ground. Bluish foliage adds impact wandering pathways and between perennials. I grow mine in tall ceramic pot, falling overboard.

• USDA zones: 7–9
• Water & soil: Average, well-draining soil
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Mature size: Up to 8 ft in 10 years if staked; larger with age. Unstaked: 1 ft tall, trailing to 15 ft.
• When to plant: Fall or spring

Jay Sifford Garden Design

8. Ruby Falls Redbud (Cercis canadensis 'Ruby Falls')

Newly introduced, combining Forest Pansy's beautiful foliage with weeping form. Prolific early spring bloom: clusters of small pink flowers hugging bare branches. Large heart-shaped foliage emerges dark purple, turns dark green by late summer.

Wonderful small patio tree, ~8 feet before cascading. Great behind massed Blue Star junipers (zones 4–8) with 'Kim's Knee High' coneflower (zones 4–9) accent.

Jay Sifford Garden Design

Similar-size 'Whitewater' is a weeping form of 'Floating Clouds' with heavily variegated white/green foliage — perfect for underplanting with Patriot Hosta (zones 3–9), Visions-In-White Astilbe (zones 3–8), or backed by Casa Blanca lilies (zones 5–8) in a white garden.

• USDA zones: 6–9
• Water & soil: Moist, well-draining soil
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Mature size: 8–10 feet tall (depends on staking)
• When to plant: Fall or spring

Jay Sifford Garden Design

9. Alaskan Cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis)

Unique conifer: majestic or slightly ghoulish, especially backlit at sunset. Heavily weeping, dark green fern-like foliage earns a place in almost every garden. Cultivars: 'Pendula', 'Green Arrow', but favorite is 'Van den Akker' — average 20–30 feet tall, only 2 feet wide after lower juvenile branches removed. Spectacular in groups of three, each with slightly different weeping habit, looking like people huddled in conversation.

• USDA zones: 4–8
• Water & soil: Moist to average soil
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Mature size: 30 ft tall, 2 ft wide
• When to plant: Fall or spring

Jay Sifford Garden Design

10. Raywood's Weeping Arizona Cypress (Cupressus glabra 'Raywood's Weeping')

Beautiful bluish-gray weeping form of 'Blue Ice'. Lovely branchlets hang straight down from main trunk. Well-behaved narrow tree, stake to desired form. Reaches 12–15 feet in 10 years. Two on either side of a garden entryway form a living arch. Cannot say enough good things about this wonderfully unique tree.

• USDA zones: 5–9
• Water & soil: Average, well-draining soil
• Light: Full sun
• Mature size: 15 feet tall
• When to plant: Fall or spring