Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Touch the soil surface to see if it feels dry.
- Check if the pot feels light when you lift it.
- Look for signs of wilting during the hottest part of the day.
Likely causes
Underwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The soil feels dry to the touch and the leaves look limp or shriveled. This happens fast because these trees are water lovers.
What to do: Water the tree deeply until moisture runs out of the drainage holes. Keep the soil damp by watering every 2 to 5 days depending on the heat.
Heat stress
Most likelyHow to tell: The plant droops during the hottest part of the day even if the soil is damp. The leaves may look slightly curled or tired.
What to do: Move the container to a spot with partial shade during the afternoon. Ensure the soil stays consistently moist to help the tree handle high temperatures.
Find out what's wrong with your grey willow
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
If the tree stays droopy after a thorough watering and a cool night, the roots may be damaged. It is normal for the tree to wilt slightly in extreme midday heat.
Stopping it coming back
Maintain a consistent watering schedule and keep the soil damp at all times.
Grey willow: drooping? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your grey willow and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
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Questions people ask
- Should I mist my willow to stop the drooping?
- Misting does not help much with drooping. Focus on keeping the root zone consistently damp instead.
- Can I save a willow that has completely dried out?
- Yes, soak the pot in a bucket of water for 30 minutes to rehydrate the root ball. Trim back any dead branches once the tree recovers.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Grey willow
- Why does my Grey willow have dark spots on its leaves?
- Why are there bugs on my Grey willow?
- Why is my Grey willow dropping its leaves?
- Why are my Grey willow's leaves turning yellow?
- Why are my Grey willow's leaf tips turning brown?
- Why is my Salix cinerea suffering from root rot?
- Why is my Salix cinerea growing leggy?
- Why are my Salix cinerea leaves curling?
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.