The Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) is a deciduous tree species from the willow family. It arrived in Europe via the Silk Road from northern China. It grows as a tree up to 15 meters high, with very long, thin hanging branches.
The symbolism and myths associated with the Weeping Willow vary across cultures. In ancient Greece, it was believed to be connected to the afterlife due to the rapid regeneration of its branches. The drooping branches and the way raindrops flow down its leaves, as if crying, symbolize pain and sorrow. In ancient mythology, the goddess of the underworld and protector of magic, Hecate, used a willow wand. In China, the willow is seen as a symbol of rebirth, vitality, and immortality.
According to a Chinese legend, a cat sadly cried by the riverbank because her kittens had drowned in the river after chasing butterflies. Willows grew along the riverbank, and out of sympathy, they lowered their long branches into the water, which the kittens clung to, allowing them to climb to safety. Since then, the willow branches have remained bent towards the water, forming a beautiful canopy, the most beautiful among willows. Where the kittens had held onto the branches with their little paws, small furry buds grew, which the people named "cica – mace" (kittens).
(Željka Šaravanja)
