IN THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL WEEPING WILLOW HAS PRECISE NEEDS.

Byline: JOSHUA SISKIN

The weeping willow is a tree most people have considered planting at one time or another.

Whether they remember it from growing up back East or from seeing an actual specimen of it in Los Angeles or in a picture, they cannot forget the lasting impression of its unapologetically pendulous growth habit. Yet locally, it is probably one of the most elusive, if most beautiful, trees.

Specific conditions

The reason you don't see more weeping willows is because they require precise growing conditions in order to thrive, especially in our climate. They demand excellent light on all four sides, but are sensitive to dry summer heat. Even in open areas, they may need consistent pruning and thinning out due to their tendency to lean in one direction, to become top heavy and to split or fall over. They are susceptible to scale insects, leaf beetles and borers, as well as fungus and bacterial diseases.

Salix babylonica is the willow's botanical name. It comes from Psalm 137, which describes how the Jewish people, taken captive to Babylonia, were too unhappy to play music. They wept and hung their harps in willow trees. Later, a legend promoted the idea that these trees once had erect branches but, after harps were hung in them, they became weighted down and have retained that appearance ever since.

Willow's origins

As to the true home of the weeping willow, botanists generally place it in China. The classification of willows is difficult because of their easy hybridization. A close relative of the weeping willow is the pendulous Hankow willow (Salix matsudana). In New Zealand, the Hankow willow was hybridized with the white willow (Salix alba) to create a tree known as the Austree, a fast-growing tree that can be planted in all 50 states.

The Austree is certainly a rapid grower, putting out 15 feet of new shoots per year once established. In the manner of all willows, however, it tends to be short-lived. Willow trees of any species that live more than 20 or 30 years are rare. The Austree is also a massive tree that is probably best utilized on ranch property as a screen or windbreak.

Q: How do I permanently kill ivy growing around my yard?

-- Johnny Tang,

Panorama City

A: To get rid of ivy, The Nature Conservancy recommends cutting it to the ground and then spraying the stems with either 25 percent glyphosate or 2 percent 2,4-D. You will have to go to a nursery to see which products contain these chemicals at the concentrations indicated. Always carefully read the label on any chemical container before application. It is also recommended that you put on rubber gloves, goggles and a respirator or dust mask prior to handling chemicals.

The Nature Conservancy has a comprehensive Web site on pests and pest control, including invasive weeds. To find out how to control recalcitrant weeds, go to tncweeds.ucdavis.edu.

When you reach the site, click on ``Invasives and Control Methods,'' and then ``On Invasive Plants.'' Scroll down until you find two lists of these plants, one in Latin (ivy is Hedera helix) and the other in English.