Salix Hakuro-Nishiki: Help Needed

Hello All,

We recently bought a lovely Salix from the garden centre a month ago. The leaves on the plant were deep green and thick. Now sadly it appears that the tree is struggling as it's going brown. Is this one of the trees where new growth will happen when it’s ready or is the tree dying?

 

Salix are pretty hardy, usually lack of water is the only thing that usually kills them, saying that there are 2 other problems that can effect the Japanese grafted types.
Looking at your pictures it sounds silly with our current weather, but it does look like lack of water, check to see if the soil is wet right into the root ball, if dry, place the root ball in a suitable container, making sure the water level covers the whole of the roots, when the air bubbles stop, the rootball is wet through, other things to eliminate at this stage would be over use of fertilizer or weed killer.
After eliminating those options, there are 2 possibilities.
1 Anthracnosis, which is a fungal infection, where the tips look like they have been burnt,,after wilting, if it is prune back hard to good wood, burn all trimings, a fungacide can help, but this usually appears if the tree is in sodden soil for extended periods.
2 willow leaf beetle, which can be identified by 1st eaten leaves, and yellow spots, which on closer inspection are egg cases. A insectacide or horti white oil application should be made.

 

Hi Hope you don't mind me jumping in on your post (newbie) and haven't quite worked out how to post a new question. I too have (had) a beautiful Hakuro-Nishiki. I originally planted it about 8 years ago, but decided it was in the wrong position, so I dug up the rootball last October and planted in a new position and watered. All seemed okay. (I'm in London, so pretty mild winters) Have been watering every day since spring, the branches are green (well some of them) but I have a tiny tiny bit of new growth, but just dry brittle everywhere else. Will I ever get it back to it's former glory or am I wasting my time, maybe it will take another year ? See pics, picture 1 is the tiny bit of new growth circled (variegated leaves)