Plants that grow only 1 or 2 inches are probably under severe stress. Plants that were under stress before a drought will be much more susceptible when drought occurs. The obvious way to minimize drought effects is to keep trees and shrubs healthy. Guidelines for keeping trees and shrubs healthy during normal weather conditions are covered in Extension bulletin E-1947. Recognizing Drought Drought symptoms on plants can be quite confusing.
Homeowners often water herbaceous plants when wilt occurs.
Woody ornamentals, on the other hand, including trees and shrubs, often exhibit a variety of drought symptoms. Leaves on deciduous trees and shrubs often drop after turning yellow or shades of red. This is often called early senescence due to stress. It does not mean that the plants are dead. These trees or shrubs will usually recover if given sufficient moisture, though individuals often remove these trees and shrubs, believing they are dead.