Hawthorne Willow Problem

Hi,

This is my first post on this forum so I do hope someone can help me. I have a Hawthorne Willow in my front garden which I planted 3 or 4 years ago. It has been perfectly healthy until very recently when it has suddenly started looking very sick. The leaves are curling up and getting very dry and crisp but not falling off. Some of the leaves are now brown. Oddly, there are signs of new leaves coming out. This appears to have happened over the course of a few days. The weather here (N. Yorks) has been the usual mixture of sunny days (a few) and torrential rain.

Some photos of the affected tree:

View attachment 1154

View attachment 1155

Any help gratefully received.

Thanks

Robin

 

I know that this may sound slightly strange, but has the soil underneath the crown been getting wet? Even though it has been raining hard, and lots of it, the rain may not have been directed to where the plant needs it.

Is there any chance you can do a photo of what is surrounding the tree, there may be something else, but I would suggest a scrabble around on your hands and knees with the best wetness detector, (your finger) and give the soil a good prod and poke to see how wet under the tree is compared to other places in the garden.

I would then give is a good soak. You say that it is a recently planted tree, I would hope that the roots would have gone looking for water by now, but sometimes they do need some encouragement, and assistance. We have had a number of strong winds, which can counteract the rainfall.

Hope this Helps!

 

Willow is very thirsty. They thrive in places like river banks where their roots can easily find lots of water. It is very possible that despite all the rain, the rainwater hasn't penetrated very deep into the soil. I'd have thought that after 3 or 4 years it would have developed a good enough root system to find plenty of water, unless the roots are in some way confined, or unless the soil is very free draining, in which case the recent hot spell might have dried it out too much.

I'd also be inclined to have a good poke about in all the nooks and crannies among the dying leaves. I'm not sure what pests attack Willow, but I did once read that Willow is in the top 5 trees for supporting the widest range of invertebrate life, so maybe something is eating it.

 

Thanks for the replies so far.

The tree is a bit confined it is next to a forsythia and a bush I don't know the name of, a wall and the drive. I wtaered it last night and have plaed a small beaker underneath to test to see if it is getting wet. Heavy rain this morning and the beaker is filling up so I think it is getting enough water from the rain - I thought perhaps the fairly dense leaves of the willow and the other bushed were creating a canopy but I din't think so. The other bushes are very healthy so whatever the issue, it is so far only affecting the willow. The leaves that were curled up yesterday have now gone brown.

A photo of the location. I think it is too crowded. Some cutting back is planned for this weekend.

View attachment 1159

 

Looks like it is slightly crowded to me, and the bush the other side, it looks like a choisya, have a look here at some details, but this is the yellow version! You will know if it is a choisya, it will have a very distinct smell, some say like cats when it is cut/disturbed.

I would give the choisya a prune, but I would be tempted to leave the forsythia until its flowers next year, and then give it a prune. Then you get the best of it.

Hope this Helps!