I wonder if the ashes have made the soil too alkaline?

You might google Howard Garrett's "sick tree treatment".

It's not a product, it's a process (whose steps I can't remember), involving various things in a certain order.

Thank you but they buried the ashes about 12 yrs ago and doubt they would be causing problems. Thank you for telling me about Howard Garrett's link.

What symptoms of neglect are worrisome to you?

Mostly that it had very few leaves and maybe just 2 or 3 flowers. I googled pics and it really is a beautiful tree and would love to have it be one.

I doubt it has ever been mulched or fertilized so thinking perhaps if I do this when it gets warmer it will help.

I don't know what to tell you, but I noticed that the desert willow trees at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens were looking very poorly (only a few leaves at the top, dead looking branches) when I was there last November. These were trees that were planted where there is little or no irrigation so I think their appearance was due to the recent drought conditions in San Antonio.

With our fall and winter rains I'll be interested in watching how they recover next spring. While they are drought tolerant they do grow by dry stream beds in the desert so that would indicate they benefit from occasional deep watering. I'm not so sure about fertilization and mulching since they are desert trees and grow naturally in poor, well drained soil, but according to the article below watering well once a month is good. Keep us posted on how your tree fares this coming year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Native Plant Society on growing desert willow trees ..

Desert willow is deciduous, so even in your mild-winter areas, it may just be a little bit dormant.

They're deciduous. Continue to take care of it with some organic fertilizer and maybe a little mulch.

I wouldn't add fert during the dormant season;
it seems a little like giving a cup of high-test coffee to a heart transplant patient because he isn't perky enough!

Eventually, it'll leaf out. As long as you don't overdo it a little bit of fertilizer would help

Incidentally, the poor looking trees I observed at the Botanical Gardens had not gone dormant yet. It was the beginning of November. At the time the 'Bubba' desert willow in my yard still had a couple of blooms.

I think they're set up on an irrigation schedule of once a week. We have so many trees its hard to hit every one with supplemental water. Luckily the Desert Willows are tough. Little bit of an educational sidenote for those who dont know but "Bubba" actually came from the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.

Joey, thanks for your always good input.

I'll be curious to know whether those leafless lower limbs of desert willows I saw there will leaf out in spring, as well as how the original poster's trees fare. In case I don't make it out to the Botanical Gardens until summer will you check and let us know how they are doing? Thank you!

Thank you everyone for the great information, I truly appreciate it.

In nature I think the trees are in desert washes , not that far from water. correct me if I am wrong.

I live in Alpine Texas and Desert willows are native and very common. The best ones are found in washes and around areas that collect seasonal water. I would enrich your soil by working in some compost. Just a little each year. Stay away from the 21.00.00 as they burn easy. They grow in very poor soil that is very alkaline. It is easy to kill them with too much water.

Thank you again for all the info. I think I may give it a little fertilizer and lots of mulch.