Salix sepulcralis group Salix sepulcralis group The "Salix sepulcralis" group is a cultivar group containing all cultivars of hybrids between "Salix alba" and "Salix babylonica". The "sepulcralis" or × "sepulcralis" trees are sometimes referred to as white weeping willow or glaucous weeping willow in reference to the mixed appearance from the parent species. It was first described by L. Simonkai in 1890 from trees growing in Romania. The group contains both weeping and nonweeping cultivars, though the best-known of its cultivars is 'Chrysocoma', the most widely grown weeping tree.. Some of the cultivars are hybrids of "S. babylonica" var. "matsudana" 'Tortuosa' and have
Salix viminalis species. Along with other related willows, the flexible twigs (called withies) are commonly used in basketry, giving rise to its alternative common name of "basket willow". In the Chilean village of Chimbarongo, it is used to fashion the renowned baskets. Another increasing use is in energy forestry, effluent treatment, in wastewater gardens, and in cadmium phytoremediation for water purification. "Salix viminalis" is a known hyperaccumulator of cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, petroleum hydrocarbons, organic solvents, MTBE, TCE and byproducts, selenium, silver, uranium, and zinc, and potassium ferrocyanide (tried on "S. babylonica" L.), and as such is a prime candidate for phytoremediation.