Stressed Desert Willow

20 years ago

I planted a desert willow last year with the intention of letting it grow to a small tree. It grew quickly last year and bloomed like crazy - the more I watered it, the more it bloomed.

This year, it's been slow to bloom, leaves are turning yellow and dropping although it's putting out seed pods. I've planted some flowers in the same bed and the tree gets watered and fed along with them.

Any ideas?

Featured Answer

Redthistle

19 years ago

I normally don't frequent this forum, but have to chime in that our two desert willows did not bloom at all this year and look less than healthy. I also noticed the ones where I worked don't look good either.--Lots of brown leaves. Thanks for this post.--It answers my questions as well.

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Comments (13)

lazy_gardens
20 years ago
"I've planted some flowers in the same bed and the tree gets watered and fed along with them."

Probably too much water, too shallow watering, and too often. Desert willows need deep infrequent soakings. They also don't like much fertilizer.
TXmel
19 years ago
I am having the same problem. My chilopsis has been planted for at least 3 years. Usually it is lush and full of blooms. I think our record-setting rainfall in June is the reason. They don't like much water, and it got too much in June. I was starting to wonder if it needed fertilizer or something. It is about 15 ft tall and I would hate to lose it now!
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I was going to say the same thing. Your leaves also look a bit yellow which is another sign of too much water. Severe overwatering can look much like severe drought with the crispy leaves and all. I wouldn't water it at all until it's had a month of no rain or irrigation. Here's what Texas Native Plants Database has to say about it. ***Desert willow is a delicate, small, deciduous tree native to west Texas and the Edwards Plateau. Its long narrow leaves resemble those of willows (Salix spp.), although they are not related. Its flowers occur in showy clusters at the tips of the branches and on new wood, occurring from late spring to fall, depending on the rainfall. They are trumpet-shaped, sweetly fragrant, and range from light pink to light violet, rarely white or red. Its ability to withstand arid conditions, beautiful flowers and long flowering period make it one of Texas's best small native trees. It is easily cultivated but must have a well-drained site and must not be overwatered; in areas with more than 30 inches of annual rainfall, it must be planted in raised beds and watered carefully, especially in winter. Growth is irregular and requires attention to early trunk development. It can be pruned to a tree or shrub; since it blooms on new wood, the more it is pruned, the more it flowers. Plant Habit or Use: small tree Exposure: sun Flower Color: white to lavender-maroon, bicolors Blooming Period: summer fall Fruit Characteristics: long, narrow two-valved pod containing small flattened winged seeds Height: 15 ft. to 20 ft. (30 ft.) Width: 15 ft. to 20 ft. Plant Character: deciduous Heat Tolerance: very high Water Requirements: low Soil Requirements: adaptable USDA Hardiness Zone: 7*** Hope that helps. Kristi
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Some of you got a couple of the Desert Willow seedlings that I brought to Spring Fling and you mentioned you would also like some seeds. Well, I just found them in my seed stash, so if you want any, send me message with your address, and I will mail you some.
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Thanks for the comments thus far. No photo to post at present, since we already trimmed the Desert Willow back severely this week - you can't see how big & unruly it had grown! Both Desert Willows have had only two drip irrigation waterings this year, and those were following a very dry winter/spring. They grew prior to the monsoon rains we're experiencing in AZ at present. There isn't room to allow the multi-trunked one to "do its own thing" if it's going to grow at this excessive rate! Nor can we trim it every two months or so during the growing season! To clarify, the "tree shape" willow has not had the same growth as the "shrub shape" multi-trunk one - probably because the "tree shape" one didn't have the weather-related damage that needed trimming off. Thanks especially to "ken" for the link to various articles about pruning. I will be reading/printing some of those for reference! The reason we hired a landscaper in the first place was to hopefully ensure the willows were correctly pruned (for damage control & height), to maintain their health. I think the problem may originate from the fact that, unfortunately, the broken limbs occurred close to the time that the willows would leaf out. In fact, by the time we managed to get on the schedule for trimming, they were already beginning to leaf out. Correct me if I'm wrong, but trimming at that time stimulated the growth on the multi-trunk willow - the one that received the more extensive trim. Now, had the landscaper shared with me that trimming back a few branches during the spring could possibly result in an unwanted growth spurt, we would have stuck with having only the damaged limbs trimmed for safety purposes! We now have to make a decision what to do about this willow - remove, or bear with it & have it trimmed up even more ...... but at the correct time of the year, next Jan. or Feb. Appreciate the comments/suggestions - thanks again!
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Did you cover up the seeds with your seed-starting mix? If so, that's likely what is wrong. Desert willow seeds need light to germinate. When I am sowing seed of anything that needs light to germinate, I water the soil-less seed-starting mix well and then gently pat it down firmly with my fingers. Then, I generally sow the seeds on the surface of the mix. With larger seeds (anything bigger than the head of a pin), I then gently press the seeds down so they are about half buried in the soil, but with the other half well-exposed to light. This usually works fine. With tiny seeds, I don't really press them down into the soil because it is too easy to press them in too deeply and cover them up. After that, it is a matter of keeping the growing medium moist but not sopping wet. Good luck. Desert Willow is one of my favorite trees. I have two---one really old one and another that is much younger. I wish I'd planted more of them. They are so tough and tolerate our erratic weather so very well.
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The_Mohave__Kid
19 years ago
By all means leave out the fertilizer ... and I agree check your soil moisture.

Good Day ...
patsy_b
19 years ago
I have noticed some that are in my area that have been beautiful in years past. They do not look good this year. Lots of brown leaves and not blooming as they should. I would suspect it is caused by all the early rain we had and then suddenly no rain at all. I only have a small one that I planted last year and it is doing fine. It is planted in unimproved soil and not watered.

Patsy
cindy_ash
19 years ago
I agree - everything is stressed right now, even the desert plants. My Desert Willow seems to be just conserving energy at this point, but I have had it for six years and know that as soon as the weather cools its leaves will come back and the flowers will start up again. I have been told not to fertilize anything this time of year - it encourages growth, which just ends up getting burned up. Let it go dormant for a bit. I give it a good 4-6 hours of watering every month, seems to work.
judy_38
19 years ago
My willows were planted last year, the one on the north of the house side is blooming, the one out in the sw sun wilts every time I look at it Can't seem to water anything out there enough. Have two Lady banks roses, the one on the west is OK, on the east it looks dead. The only things that are doing well are Yuccas, and rosemary
The_Mohave__Kid
19 years ago
If your Willows are in a xeriscape watered with drip emitters make sure to check that enough water is really getting to the root zone ... it is very easy for water to get soaked up by the upper level soil and never enet the soil surrounding the trees roots ... deep watering with a hose is very helpful during summer make some aeration holes into the root zone with a digging bar before watering.

Good Day ...
sowngrow (8a)
19 years ago
I have a small one I planted this spring. It's doing well and is beginning to bloom.
edh7507
11 years ago
Hello! I have a 2yr old desert willow that has been beautiful since the day we planted it! It's planted on the southwest corner of our home, in the flower bed but not real close to any of the sprinklers. We haven't changed our watering patterns at all but I noticed today that it has dropped a bunch of leaves (from the lower branches) and some of the remaining have brown spots on them. I observed small bugs (ants?) crawling along the trunk and the trunk and bark have split in places and look almost burned. I am in north central TX (north of Dallas) and its been over 100 degrees for the past few days, but it survived a much hotter summer last year.... Any thoughts? Oh, and we got a new weed/fertilization service that comes quarterly now. IF they have fertilized this tree, could that cause problems like this? Will try to post pics later if it would help. TIA!
stompoutbermuda
11 years ago
It is always super hot here in the summer, well over 100 degrees daily. I have desert willows in one bed that gets watered by sprinklers once a week in the summer and I also have desert willows in other places on the property that only get it when Im willing to brave the heat with a hose (about once a month). None of mine receive extra fertilizer, yet I have absolutely none of the problems mentioned in this thread...
neurotic
11 years ago
This summer has seemed hotter and dryer to me than usual, however my desert willow I dug up and transplanted this winter seems to be happier than ever despite the move - it is actually thriving. I've basically neglected it entirely except for throwing the garden hose on it when I remember to. Its also on a west facing brick wall and has tons of little black ants on it. Go figure.

This leads me to wager a guess yours may be over watered? Is it new leaves that are yellowing or the old ones?
nah43
9 years ago
Our desert willow also has some yellowing leaves with dark spots. I sprayed it with a fungicide. Would that possibly help? I am going to take a sample in to our local nursery today as I am worried that may not help it and hopefully won't harm it.

Stressed Desert Willow

Redthistle

Comments (13)

lazy_gardens

TXmel

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