How wet has it been, and is the site the willow is planted in a nice damp one or a fairly dry one? Willows like a LOT of water, and it may be you need to water it more - the amount of water that sustained it when smaller may not do for the larger plant. Dig down into the soil around the roots a couple of inches - if it's dry, that's probably your problem. Mulch it widely, as widely as possible, no deeper than 4", and don't put any mulch in the couple of inches next to the trunk - this will help keep whatever moisture is in the soil there. If it has been very windy, that might also be the culprit.

While the bark clawing may be the problem, I don't think it is - unless the problem area is right above/on the same side as the clawed area? It is good that you covered the trunk to prevent future problems. However, what did you cover it with? Chicken wire or the like is good, a solid "plaster" is not so good.

I would wait and see if the tree grows new leaves - as I recall, willows are among the trees that will do so. Lightly scratch at the bark on a couple of the leafless branches - if the cambium layer (just under the bark) is still green, then the branch is alive at that point. If it is brown or woody looking, then that branch is dead, and should be trimmed off, back to live wood.

any chance there was a frost???

if so .. it will releaf rather quickly ...

IMHO .. willow is a weed tree ... and the odds of it dying.. given enough water are low to nill ....

if it is just a plain old willow.. i wouldnt be surprised.. if it wouldnt grow back from the roots... if it is dead...

and that might be problematic if it is a named grafted variety ....

i think of willow as a swamp tree .... i dont think of New mexico as a swamp .... are they native to your area.. or are you redefining zone pushing???

can you be any more specific on what kind of willow?

ken

I have a lot of different kinds of willows in a swamp. A Prairie Cascade was planted in a hole that always has about 3' standing water and is on a bit of earth at the confluence of 2 creeklets. It has blown my mind that this tree, sitting in water, has grown big roots directly into the creeklets and is gulping water directly into itself. This is a magnificent tree that has grown so much in 2 years 3+ months that it is a Jack Beanstalk experience. It has big thick bright golden branches. I think this one tree could drink a lake and it's one of many willows ... they really want water.

I planted them to slurp up the water in this seasonal swamp and it is working!

Freezes and wilts will stunt the emerging leaves. Have the same problem here with curly and babylonica (weeping green) but the trees recover by June when it's hot and sunny. Fertilize and water.

Thanks for the input folks, I appreciate it! We all know how heartbreaking it is to lose a tree.
Actually we did have a cold spell after the leaves started coming out, then warm weather in the '80's with high winds close to 45 mph or so I guess.
Extremely dry also with humidity around 8 percent. The tree is in my backyard in grass so that helps it stay moist and we are watering the area every day.
Some of the ends of the small whips have turned brown and brittle but that's usual I think. Most branches are still the normal green color.
I guess I will continue to monitor it and see if new growth starts.
We are in a high alkaline area and perhaps I need to use some sort of fertilizer which I have not done except for tree spikes last year.

After it warms up again I go with a good hand pruner and cut the withered / wilted / black / brown / shriveled ends off the willow branches. This seems to help them recover and leaf out new branchlets faster. I'm a newbie and am astonished at how plants appreciate pruning. I was afraid cutting them would hurt but cutting out dead / dying / lanky stuff really helps the plant. Live and learn!

Consider a compost pile and a worm bin to start making your own fertilizer. Lots of areas will give you free horse, cow, chicken etc manure. You can buy a couple pounds of red wiggler worms for the bin and in a year (read up on how to do this correctly) you will have wormcastings, Nature's finest fertilizer. Recycling at its best!

Thanks for all your input everyone!
I went out and trimmed all the brown/dead ends off the entire tree. Now I am waiting to see what happens, I sure hope it comes back. We are having more high winds this week, yay!

Today I saw the ends of the branches I pruned back to green are turning brown and brittle. I don't think it looks good, is there a way to find out if this tree is infected somehow or diseased?

Don't worry, when it gets warm and sunny and dry the tree will recover. Mine are doing the same thing now. They didn't like that late freeze and one has a verticillium-type wilt but by July is green and leafy.

To be sure, take several samples of your affected branches to the county extension office and they'll examine them. Perhaps a master gardener will look at it under a microscope and they'll all consult and tell you what it is or how you can find out what it is.

Thanks! I will do that as I don't think they have an Arborist or whatever around here. If the tree is gonna die I would like to find out soon so I can remove it and plant another one in that spot so it can grow all summer, we really need shade on that west side of our house.

Update!
New leaves are just now popping out on many of the branches! Some of the ends are still turning brown so I will prune them back again I guess.