# Weeping Willows Swampy Areas **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2014, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weeping-willows-swampy-areas/683655 "2014-03-13T23:46:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![froglover607](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3ab097/32.png) [@froglover607](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/froglover607)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weeping-willows-swampy-areas/683655/1 "2014-03-13T23:46:50Z")
Anyone know how long it takes a weeping willow to start absorbing water after planting? We have a bit of standing water at the back of our property, we have heard they are great at absorbing standing water, just wondering how long before we see results? FYI there are no sewage or septic lines in the area that will be damaged. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weeping-willows-swampy-areas/683655/2 "2014-03-14T09:32:07Z")
> [@froglover607](#): > > Anyone know how long it takes a weeping willow to start absorbing water after planting? We have a bit of standing water at the back of our property, we have heard they are great at absorbing standing water, just wondering how long before we see results? > FYI there are no sewage or septic lines in the area that will be damaged. I would imagine immediately. W/Willows depend upon a pretty constant water supply, so as soon as the tree is settled into its new position, it will begin sucking up that dank water for you. Where do you live **froglover607**? Only reason I ask is that here in Australia, willows are nowadays classified as noxious ‘weeds’, and local authorities are hell bent on removing them from watercourses across the country. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weeping-willows-swampy-areas/683655/3 "2014-03-14T17:36:26Z")
“A bit of standing water” could be a small puddle or an entire pond. Hard for us to tell you when you’ll see any results without knowing how much water we’re talking about being sucked up … and how big/old the tree is. Also, an odd username/post combo considering frogs like standing water, so presumably those who love frogs would do so as well. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weeping-willows-swampy-areas/683655/4 "2014-03-14T17:49:12Z")
I just want to say that “Weeping Willows Swampy Areas” is probably the worst name for a state park I have ever heard. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weeping-willows-swampy-areas/683655/5 "2014-03-14T18:51:00Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I just want to say that “Weeping Willows Swampy Areas” is probably the worst name for a state park I have ever heard. But add a lead guitar and maybe a keyboard player and you’ve got quite a band. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weeping-willows-swampy-areas/683655/6 "2014-03-14T19:33:39Z")
Be sure to clear any hobbits out of the roots. The tree will stay healthier. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weeping-willows-swampy-areas/683655/7 "2014-03-14T19:43:00Z")
Just a heads-up…I considered a weeping willow for a low-lying spot in my side yard. But both a tree guy and a local nursery talked me out of it, because they have such shallow root systems that they tend to topple over quite frequently. Also they are messy trees and tend to lose branches with alarming frequency. So hopefully by “back of your property” you mean well away from buildings and fences and so on. ---
**Author:** ![froglover607](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3ab097/32.png) [@froglover607](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/froglover607)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weeping-willows-swampy-areas/683655/8 "2014-03-16T21:25:44Z")
Not naming a park or a band. Do love frogs…Just not a huge swampy mess! Frogs eat mosquitoes 🙂 Trees will be downhill away from home site. Thanks for the serious responses!