I live in the Dallas area and my Desert Willow is slow to show new growth this Spring, too. I am hoping once the warmer weather hits, it will be happier. I am surprised they didn't drown last Spring with all the rain - they are pretty tough. I am just going to trim off the dead wood - I think we can have hope. Lupineloon

Mine are just now starting to show some signs of waking. I would not be too concerned for a few more weeks yet.
Happy Planting David I am 200 miles south of you but a cold area of Z8.

Mine are very slow this year, also, but I am not going to trim anything until the weather is consistently hotter -- they do thrive in the heat.

rmtx, mine has the tips of branches looking as you describe and I don't think it is freeze damage. The ones at the S.A. Botanical Gardens looked the same. I'm going to try to remember to check out the huge Desert willow growing at ARE and see what it looks like.

I've noticed for years that specimens growing in yards around San Antonio would have occasional dead branches. Seems to me like it is just prone to doing that.

I'm north of the DFW area and my Desert Willow (planted last year) has just begun to show the very tips of growth coming out in the last week. I have the same dead-looking/brown tips but am not concerned at this point...we'll see what she looks like when she's leafed out.

I too live in Dallas and just planted a Desert Willow in Nov. It is barely putting on some green.

I'm curious how often you all watered in your plant's first year? I know they don't require much water but then it's a new plant, so I want to make sure to establish it properly. Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: Less Talk, More Action: the Hands On Blog

Can anyone offer advice on whether or not to prune a desert willow for fuller growth? Mine is several years old, but the leaves were pretty sparse last year, nothing like the full, lush ones I've seen in pictures. Will some pruning help, and if so, when should I have done it? (I assume it's too late this year now that it's started leafing out.) Could it be due to not liking the soil it's in (heavy black clay)? Any input is appreciated.

Typically, they don't show too many signs of life, until later this month. Mine is just now putting out a very few leaves. I did get some hail damage last week also, with many small branch tips coming down, so I expect some slow greening up.

Normally, though, they require minimal care.

In terms of pruning, yes, I prune mine each year, during the fall or early spring, to shape it. (They get very irregular growth, otherwise.) Don't overdo it, but do prune to control the shape to some extent.

(There isn't much I don't prune, at least a little, in trees and shrubs.)