It is my understanding Desert Willow does not require much water. Perhaps with all the rain the metroplex has received and your TLC it has had more than it needs.

Peggy

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

Kristi... I think that you are really on to something! The new growth is definitely on the yellow side of green and the area it is in gets all the water from the upslope above and behind the house, moving through. And we have had a ton of rain here.

We'll leave it completely alone re: water for the next few weeks. I'll prune the "dead" small twigs off, too, and see what that does for flowering.

Bill I think if you leave it alone, you will see it green up nicely, then the blooms will come. With the heat that's sure to come soon, it will hopefully dry up the soil pretty well. You might even want to pull back any mulch for a week or so. That couldn't hurt it. These are native desert plants and what they get in the desert would be *very* infrequent rains and absolutely no care. Since yours doesn't appear to be in a raised bed, I would think mother nature will take good care of it without supplemental watering. It'll be hard for you to not *take care* of it, LOL but I think you'll be pleased with the results if you can be strong ;).

Good luck with it and be sure to let us know how it goes for you.

Kristi

I am a stingy waterer and planted in 2000 and gave it too much the first season. Once a week or so. It struggled back to life in 2001 and really go going til the flood time of July 2002. I am in a well drained soil in the Hill Country so if you have the typical clays of the Dallas area as I understand it the water this spring is raising havoc with this poor guy but as it drys and heats up it will get happier and mostly blooms after we start hitting 90's regularly which look like we are headed there this coming week.
Good Luck and be stingy with the water for years to come Desert Willow is truly a xeric that wants to stay on the dry side and have excellent drainage to boot.
Happy Growing David

I have one that is 12+ years old and is planted on a large clay birm by the pond. I have never watered nor fertilized it, and it rewards me with beautiful blooms each year. It is covered right now. I have a new one that I just planted this spring, and hope it survives all the rain we have been having. They really DO NOT like a lot of water.

Thanks all.

Great idea about pulling back the mulch there -- I will. As soon as the solid hour of rain we are having stops!!

I agree with everyone else that it's the rain thing, combined with the clay soil thing. There's nothing you can do about the rain, though. I'd stop drenching it with the liquid fertilizer (I know it's Garrett Juice, but it's still liquid). Use something like alfalfa meal or compost instead. These trees are probably not heavy feeders, considering where they grow naturally. I spoke once with a lady from the arid southwest part of Texas where they grow wild. She said they grow in the gullies and ditches, and only received water when it rained. (We're talking southwest Texas, which is basically desert, and rain seldomly comes around) The soil is quick draining, so they don't sit in water for hours or days, but recieve a lot at one time due to flash floods when it did rain. Harsh conditins for sure. They can do well in the DFW area, but will definately suffer when faces with this kind of weather. Don't worry, we'll probably be back to drought soon enough.

Sally

It is probably too wet. Mine is not blooming well yet, either, because of the lower temps and wetness. It does better as it heats up and dries out.