Leaf drop on curly leaf willow

[Sayulita]

We recently bought a new home in Santa Cruz, CA on a golf course and have a huge curly leave willow about 50' from the greens. It is a showcase tree but unfortunately leaves are turning brown and falling off. In addition, there looks like large clusters of brown leaves up high in the tree. We don't know how old the tree is but it's about 25' high and 25-30' wide. We've had an exceptionally cool summer with a lots of fog and a rainy spring. Any help/advise would be really appreciated. Thank you!

 

[The Count]

leave it alone.

 

[The Count]

I live in the city but i have a small garden. I took home 3 sticks of willow (2 m tall) and just put it into the ground. 4 years ago; now I have 3 splendid curly willow, about 6" diam. I had normal willow before but there was some caterpillar that kept attacking the leaves. I took that away and replaced with those 3. I have a bench underneath and it is nice shade in the summer when we barbecue.

 

[xtm]

I have willows growing along the ditch behind my place. The leaves on them are starting to turn yellow and are dropping off - it's just that time of year.

You didn't say anything about summer rainfall and temps. Willows will die back from the outer limbs from both drought and high temps.

You consider your willow to be a "showcase" tree - I'm looking forward to the day when all of my willows have been cut down and reduced to ashes in the stove. Funny how people are different..... I consider willows to be a nuisance - messy and with the future potential to be a liability either above or below the ground.

xtm