Weeping sophora

Synonyms: weeping Styphnolobium japonicum, Styphnolobium japonicum 'Pendulum', Weeping Japanese Pagoda Tree

Софора японская плакучая(Sophora japonica 'Pendula') – a very beautiful weeping form of Sophora japonica. It is a low, medium-growing tree up to 7 m in height and 7 m in width with a rounded weeping crown. The branches are stiff, hanging almost to the ground, growing on short, sprawling, curved main scaffold branches. Native to Korea and China.

The bark of young shoots is greenish-gray, later becoming dark gray and fissured.

Leaves alternate, imparipinnate, 11-25 cm long, green, turning yellow in autumn. Each leaf has 3-8 pairs of ovate longitudinal leaflets. The leaflets are small, 2-5 cm long and 0.8-2.5 cm wide, pointed, leathery. They are attached by short pubescent petiolules.

The weeping form flowers and fruits rarely. Flowers are showy, greenish-white or yellow, in loose panicles up to 35 cm long, fragrant. Blooms in August.

Fruits – non-dehiscent fleshy cylindrical pods reaching 3-8 cm in length. Initially greenish-brown, becoming reddish when ripe. They ripen in September-October and remain on the branches all winter. Seeds are oval, dark brown, 2-6 per pod in sticky liquid.

Hardiness zone: 5-8a

Location: drought-tolerant. Prefers clay-loam and sandy soils. Can withstand slight soil salinity. Recommended soil pH 5.5-8. Tolerates urban conditions well.

Care: fertilization is carried out at the end of July. Kemira-Lux can be used as a fertilizer. In spring additional watering can be carried out until July.

Pruning: tolerates formative pruning well. The tree tends to grow with multiple trunks.

Propagation: propagated by seeds and grafting.

Uses: Used in alleys, group and solitary plantings, and for greening industrial enterprises. In plantings it combines well with Ailanthus and white acacia.