There are any number of diseases and pests that can stress your dogwood and cause dogwood leaf drop. ... Is tougher than the native flowering dogwood when it comes to disease and pests. It appears on dogwood leaves in late summer, with purplish, irregularly-shaped spots that have small veins radiating from the center. It is normal to see leaves falling in autumn but you should not see a dogwood tree dropping leaves in summer. Develops a camouflage pattern of tan and brown on the trunk due to exfoliation. Most of the diseases listed are seen most often on Cornus florida. Septoria cornicola is another fungus affecting dogwoods. For more information on disease and insect problems on dogwoods, refer to HGIC 2003, Dogwood Diseases & Insect Pests. Early symptoms of dogwood canker are smaller and paler leaves. Replant it in a location that gets full morning sun and some shade late in the day. Dogwoods need fertile, moist soil with good drainage. However, these trees are susceptible to many diseases and problems if not properly taken care of. is susceptible to several problems, including diseases that attack its bark, causing varying degrees of damage. Tree Type This tree is considered both a flowering tree and an ornamental tree. Dogwood Tree Bark Disease. View Map. Some kousa dogwoods are more resistant to these pests than flowering dogwood. Anthracnose disease spreads very quickly and it is critical to identify it during its nascent stage. The versatile dogwood (Cornus spp.) Diseases. Other common landscape dogwoods, such as Tatarian dogwood (C. alba) and redosier dogwood (C. sericea) are also resistant to the disease. But even plants with good site conditions, annual fertilizer, and adequate water may still encounter dogwood tree problems that destroy their health and vigor. This disease propagates quickly in cool, slightly wet conditions that are associated with the late spring and fall season. When leaves are falling off dogwood in summer, it could mean a serious illness, improper siting or cultivation problems. The anthracnose disease affects flowering varieties of dogwoods like the Pacific dogwood. The kousa dogwood (japanese dogwood) can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 5–8. Symptoms & Disease … However other dogwoods are susceptible to the diseases listed. The disease seldom kills the tree, but it distorts the leaves late in the growing season. Problems: The flowering dogwood is susceptible to many diseases and insect pests. The cankers eventually cover the trunk and kill the top of the tree. Diseases of Dogwood It is commonly seen on dogwoods in areas with poor drainage. These beauties burst into pink or white bloom in spring and boast bright red berries in the fall. Dogwood canker is another disease that causes cankers on the dogwood's bark. Planting resistant species and cultivars is a better way to manage the disease. Leaves on infected branches are red earlier in the fall. They are understory trees and require dappled lighting with protection from the hottest rays of the day. It is caused by the Discula fungus. (So trading full sun for morning shade would be just as bad as what you have now, but in reverse.) Dogwoods are small trees that are popular additions to many landscapes in the eastern and southeastern United States. https://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/ Kousa dogwood (C. kousa) is also susceptible to infection but is highly resistant to the disease and typically suffers only minor leaf spotting. Disease prone plants need to dry off first thing in the morning, and dogwoods do tend to get the horticultural sniffles when conditions are poor. It causes leaves on the tree to be smaller than normal, and the leaves might shed early. Dogwood Canker. Cornelian cherry dogwood is generally pest-free. Not the opposite! 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