Can easily tolerate the sun and heat but I'd question whether or not you can deliver enough water. 7 minutes 3 times a week is not very much, depending on the flow of your emitters. This is an extremely thirsty tree and if the soil it is being grown in is not sufficiently moist - even wet - then it will extend its root system outward until it does find enough water. And that could very well be your water line or other buried plumbing!!

Just doesn't sound like a very sound planting choice in SoCal, given the extended drought conditions you experience and current water shortages. And they get huge as well....not really a tree suited to any typical residential garden.

(btw, they are not anywhere close to being evergreen or even semi-evergreen in my zone 9!)

ETA: floral was posting as I was typing!! Like minds.... 😁

Thanks for the info! I got them for free at a Nursery with a purchase, otherwise like you all of said i would not have bought them cause of water usage. could they maybe be grown in pots as a ”Bonsai”?

There are surely better weeping trees for Socal...Maytenus boaria comes to mind.

A great low water alternative is the desert willow. It uses a fraction of the water of a weeping willow and has beautiful flowers as well. Heres a pic of a podless variety we have that bloomed spring to fall last year with nice fresh green leaves and easily managed growth. I wouldn't water any tree the way you describe though. once a week for a longer time is much better.

Thank you all for the tips and helpful info! i have decided to do away with the weeping willows as its going the oppisite direction needed, and change the watering schedule (that the previous owners had set) to 1 deep soak per week. I will check my local nursery for the dessert willow and Maytenus boaria!

even in my course sand.. you arent going to get water down a foot or so.. into the root zone of a tree in 7 minutes ... this is important when getting the babe established.. rather than a mature tree.. which can put roots where it needs and wants them ....

since you have them.. and the price was right.. go for it ....

but dont have high hopes ... if you win.. you win.. if not.. so be it ...

btw ... where was your source tree .. perhaps that is indicative of a location near you ...

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

"since you have them.. and the price was right.. go for it ...."

And that would be a big NO for bad advice!! Growing a weeping willow in SoCal is just a very bad idea. One doesn't just plant things because they are free if they are ill-suited to the environment.

Very beautiful tree in our zone

I wouldn't do willow there. Not because of growth size- it can be fairly easy to keep willow coppiced, pollard, or otherwise sculpted/kept. Can be- but it takes some work, and can get out of hand because weeping willow grows quick.

Don't do it because they are huge water suckers- like wetland and edges of ponds water. They spread like weeds- if you plant them where they can start to get water and established- they will send out runners for days and then you gotta keep up on them too. They can be really hard to kill, even as little twigs- that's how you build a new coppice stand, just stick the dang sticks in the ground and keep them wet. I wouldn't even put those free willows you got in your compost- they will likely take off.

I got weeping willow here- ponds and wetlands. The neighbors big tree sends out runners at least 50-75 feet away from the tree into my yard- we keep them mowed down for the most part. I have a small stand out back of willow I use for coppicing and junk-poles. I also have spots that were meant to be kept up with better and after a year or two of not- those sculpture projects just had to be cut down because willow grew too fast.

they can grow here like weeds. i have one in my backyard nearly 30 ft tall, planted it as a small 5 ft specimen 4 years ago