How Fast Do Weeping Willow Trees Grow?

Weeping willows grow best near water.

Fast-growing trees use a lot of water and weeping willows grow faster than most deciduous trees. Their rapid rate of growth makes their wood brittle and they often break in high winds or from ice or snow. Unfortunately, they are also short-lived and tend to decline after 20 to 30 years.

First Year's Growth

Planted in early spring, willow cuttings will grow three to eight feet by the end of their first growing season.

Adolescent Willows

Growing fastest during their third and fourth years, willows grow an average of seven feet per year, according to a Colgate University report.

Cultivated Willows

Willows cultivated as a cash crop and grown under ideal conditions can grow at the rate of 10 feet a year, according to State University of New York.

References

• Colgate University: Willow Biomass
• State University of New York: Shrub Willow
• University of Tennessee Extension: Trees to Reconsider Before Planting