The Desert Willow
Table of Content
Think full sun and soil with excellent drainage when growing these trees in your landscape. If your region gets more than 30 inches (76 cm.) a year rainfall, plant desert willow trees in raised beds to ensure drainage. As you might expect of a tree named ‘Bubba’, this cultivar is robust and sturdy. It boasts exceptional heat, drought, and cold tolerance, and it roots and grows quickly.
Many plants that flourish in other parts of the country have a hard time with our clay soils, 100+ degree days, and low rainfall. Some people turn to xeriscaping their lawns to reduce water usage and others turn to native plants. Fortunately, there is a small group of trees that can be chosen to meet both of these criteria. Learning how to grow a desert willow is not difficult since it is readily cultivated.
Desert Willow Tree Facts
The seeds in the long, thin pods grow so readily that the tree is considered invasive in some areas. Planting desert willow trees from cuttings is also possible. One of the most interesting desert willow tree facts is that the seeds establish themselves in newly deposited river sediments after seasonal flowing.
The desert willow's natural habitat gets plenty of sunlight, so it naturally loves its rays and thrives in nothing less than full sun. To get the best bloom production, ensure that you place it in an area that receives a full six hours of direct sunlight per day. You will notice a marked lack of blooms in shady conditions. You could cut the whole tree down, and it would still send out new sprouts and become a vibrant shrub in a matter of weeks. The pruning for the form you choose for your desert willow is also entirely up to you. Sometimes a landscape calls for a unique shrub that creates interest in the way of color, form, and size.
The Desert Willow
Place outside for a month to harden up and allow to acclimate to the outdoors. You can then plant or keep in the container to allow to grow for the first year to plant the following year. Andrew Hughes is a certified arborist and member of the International Society of Arborists specializing in tree heal care. He founded and runs Urban Loggers, LLC, a company offering residential tree services in the Midwest and Connecticut. Les Engles achieved Master Gardener through the Camden County Extension of the Rutgers Master Gardeners Program. He is an arboretum curator with over 30 years of experience.
Plan to water your new tree during the cooler hours of the morning (before 10 a.m.) or after the sun has set (after 6 p.m.) daily until the tree is established. The growing season for the Desert Willow is between early Spring to late Fall, and in dormant times should be watered once a week. Local nurseries, hardware and home improvement stores can supply Desert Willow trees and are relatively easy to find. As with any new planting, make sure to dig a hole that is appropriately sized to house your new tree.
Bubba Desert Willow – Chilopsis linearis ‘Bubba’
With its many trunks, the tree presents a unique, graceful silhouette that is familiar in the Southwest deserts. The thin, drooping leaves can get up to 12 inches (15 cm.) long, filling in the irregular crown of the tree with willowy softness. Features simple, linear to linear-lanceolate leaves that are blue-green or medium to dark green, turning gold in the fall.
The hole should be approximately twice the diameter of the tree and deep enough to bury the tree to its flare . This small tree can grow to a maximum height of around thirty feet and has a canopy of approximately feet when fully grown out. Like other desert plants, the desert willow only needs a very occasional, deep irrigation.
Tree Gallery
Pruning your desert willow is a matter of keeping it tidy and cutting off dead growth to stimulate new growth. Leaving it unkempt is a possibility as well and would be much appreciated by wildlife, especially small mammals and birds who use it for shelter. The choice is all about the shrub's intended function and your desired aesthetic.
The young trees trap and hold soil sediment as their roots grow, creating islands. The desert willow is a little tree that adds color and fragrance to your backyard; provides summer shade; and attracts birds,hummingbirds and bees. The long, slender leaves make you think of willow, but once you learn some desert willow tree facts, you’ll see that it is not in the willow family at all. It grows almost effortlessly in dry- to medium-moisture soil that is well-draining with a slightly higher pH; you can test your pH at home and amend the soil as necessary. When your desert willow establishes itself, it will become even more adaptable and tolerate a wider range of soil conditions, particularly when it comes to soil moisture.
If you are looking for a gorgeous shrub with great color and size, give the desert willow a look. Desert Willow is a gem of a tree requiring little care and gracing southwestern landscapes with year-round intrigue. The seeds of the desert-willow are eaten by wildlife, and the flowers often attract hummingbirds.
Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. This tree grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24" per year. This is a flowering tree, typically planted for its profusion of flowers.
It can provide a nesting site for desert birds and ground cover for other animals. When seedlings produce two sets of leaves and are four inches tall then you can begin the process of transplanting your seedlings to a larger pot. You can propagate desert willows easily by either cuttings or seeds. The latter you should take a look at first because it is probably the easiest method. Often when it comes to fertilizer, the advice is something like, "it's not needed, but you can if you want"—this is not one of those situations. Giving your desert willow fertilizer may sound like a great idea to boost bloom production but what will happen is it will increase vigor and speed up the growth of the limbs.
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