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Some people wrap the bottom of the lulav (with the hadasim and aravot) with a moist towel, rag, or paper towel to keep the hadasim and aravot looking good.

Is this allowed to be done on yom tov? If the towel is dry can I wet it?

Some possible problems may include: planting, preparing for after yomtov, washing (libun) the towel, separating the water from the towel (sichita).

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Shmiras Shabbos Kehilkhasah discusses this in chapter 26 siff 27. After discussing the allowance to replace the lulav in its water as found in Shulchan Aruch O'ch siman 654 he says 'it is also muttar to wrap the lulav in a wet towel, as long as it was made wet before yom tov started and as long as he is not interested in squeezing it. However one should not make it wet on the holiday as a precaution against coming to squeeze it'. In the notes on the bottom he adds that in some cases there is also a concern of kibus, washing, and send to siman 302 siff 9 with mishna berurah 39. He also adds that he thinks it would be fine to first wrap the lulav with a clean towel and then apply the water. (It seems from this last case that he is siding with the lenient opinion brought in m.b. siman 336 s.k. 54 that allows one to place the lulav in new water on shabbos & yom tov as long as the water was prepared for this purpose before shabbos and yom tov started. According to that opinion the issur of adding or switching water mentioned in siman 654 is due to tircha, excess labor.)

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