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The Daily Insight

Is my desert willow dead?

Author

Daniel Foster

Published May 22, 2026

Is my desert willow dead?

In many cases, they experience sudden branch wilt. Trees with severe infections exhibit dried, curled leaves with yellow or red discoloration along their veins and wilting, dying branches. Symptoms often appear on one side of a tree. Desert willow’s most significant disease, Verticillium wilt may be lethal.

How fast does desert willow grow?

Now life expectancy is hard to pin down, and this statement from the Garden Guides article is a little confusing; ” At maturity, the typical Desert Willow (linearis) will reach up to 25 feet high, with a maximum height at 20 years of 15 feet.” This seems to imply a growth rate of only 18” per year.

How often should you water a desert willow?

It will tolerate various soil conditions but does best in soil that drains well. For the first year, water desert willow tree deeply every five to seven days. Water established desert willow trees every two weeks in the summer and every month in the winter.

Does desert willow need fertilizer?

Although most of the time fertilizer is used as an aid for growing plants, for the desert willow tree fertilizer is not recommended as it makes the new growth weak and cannot withstand strong winds. Once established it is easy to care for a desert willow tree, which requires little to no maintenance.

Does a desert willow lose its leaves?

When the Desert Willow loses its leaves and goes bare, it produces many papery seedpods akin to those of catalpa, which persist through winter. � Some gardeners regard them as a messy nuisance. � Others view them as decorative and a source of food for birds.

Is Desert Willow toxic to dogs?

Willow tree wood isn’t necessarily toxic to cats and dog. Its bark, however, can be poisonous, particularly to cats. Keep your pets away from willow trees, and don’t let them claw or chew on willow tree limbs.

Does a desert willow have a tap root?

Plant Profile: Desert Willow. Desert willow is not a true willow but with its long, slender weeping leaves it’s a better substitute than the willow for the arid southwest region. Because it lacks thorns and the roots are not invasive, it can be planted close to walls and paving without causing structural problems.

Do you fertilize desert willow?

Although most of the time fertilizer is used as an aid for growing plants, for the desert willow tree fertilizer is not recommended as it makes the new growth weak and cannot withstand strong winds. The gorgeous desert willow tree is a large plant, naturally growing over 20 feet tall and equally as wide.

What kind of plant is a desert willow?

Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric). Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis), which resembles willows, is a small, rapidly growing tree with exotic-looking blooms that are favored by hummingbirds. Desert Willow is drought tolerant and easy to maintain. This native plant ranges from Texas to California and northern Mexico.

When does the desert willow bloom in Texas?

Zones 5-10 | | Blooming Late Spring – Summer. Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis), which resembles willows, is a small, rapidly growing tree with exotic-looking blooms that are favored by hummingbirds. Desert Willow is drought tolerant and easy to maintain. This native plant ranges from Texas to California and northern Mexico.

Why are the leaves falling off my desert willow?

Likes the sun a lot and drops its leaves in the winter months. Seed pods drop after flowers dry. As with any desert tree, frequent shallow waterings cause the tree height to outgrow the root base, which can cause toppling in heavy winds. We do indeed get them here.

What kind of plant looks like a willow?

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis), which resembles willows, is a small, rapidly growing tree with exotic-looking blooms that are favored by hummingbirds. Desert Willow is drought tolerant and easy to maintain. This native plant ranges from Texas to California and northern Mexico. To choose the best plants for your garden, use our filters at left.