Salix babylonica Salix babylonica Salix babylonica (Babylon willow or weeping willow; ) is a species of willow native to dry areas of northern China, but cultivated for millennia elsewhere in Asia, being traded along the Silk Road to southwest Asia and Europe. "Salix babylonica" is a medium- to large-sized deciduous tree, growing up to tall. It grows rapidly, but has a short lifespan, between 40 and 75 years. The shoots are yellowish-brown, with small buds. The leaves are alternate and spirally arranged, narrow, light green, 4–16 cm long and 0.5–2 cm broad, with finely serrate margins and long acuminate tips; they turn
Stigmella salicis a blotch, or if highly contorted with 'S' bends, a false blotch. The larvae feed on "Myrica gale", "Salix alba", "Salix atrocinerea", "Salix aurita", "Salix babylonica", "Salix caprea", "Salix cinerea", "Salix daphnoides", "Salix fragilis", "Salix lanata", "Salix pentandra", "Salix purpurea", "Salix repens", "Salix silesiaca", "Salix triandra" and "Salix viminalis". Mines on the narrow-leaved willows can be difficult to distinguish from those of "S. obliquella". The pupa is in a yellowish-brown cocoon spun in detritus and can be found in July and August, and from November through to April. "S. salicis" is found in Europe (except Iceland and Greece). Stigmella salicis