Trees - Dogwood (page 2)
Previous Page
Back to Trees

  This summer the wind blew out the top of my dogwood tree and two other limbs from it. It ruined the shape of the tree. The tree is about six years old. Would it hurt if I took off quite a bit of the ends of the branches that are left to try to give the tree some shape?

  You will need to do some shaping to get the tree back to a pretty shape again. But wait until the spring after bloom to do the pruning. You will also probably get a lot of new sprouts in the spring where the damage was, so some thinning may be necessary to achieve a good shape.

  We have some large and small dogwood trees on our property. These are the first ones we’ve ever had. What can you tell us about them? Can we grow dogwoods from seeds? Can I transplant the smaller ones, they are about 7 feet tall?

  Dogwoods grow very easily from seeds, and that is probably how they came to be growing on your property. If you can still find some dogwood seeds, harvest them and clean off the outer red pulp. Then either store them in a plastic bag filled with moist peat moss or potting soil in your refrigerator for several months, or direct seed them outside in a protected spot. In the spring, they should germinate when the soil warms up. Dogwoods are best grown as an understory tree with filtered light or morning sun and afternoon shade. They don’t like wet feet, but since they are shallow rooted, they benefit from weekly watering when dry. Transplant the smaller trees any time from now through February.

  I have several young volunteer dogwood trees in my back yard. Each year in August, they develop what appears to be a powdery mildew (my lilacs have it also). The new growth leaves on my dogwoods, shrivel and die. The plants seem hardy enough otherwise. I have sprayed with wettable sulfur and the lilacs look great, but it didn’t seem to help the dogwoods. What can I do to correct this problem?

  Powdery mildew is a fungus that typically hits in late summer, especially in areas where air circulation is not good, and in shady areas. It affects certain plants including lilacs, crape myrtles and some dogwoods each year. That late in the season, your flower and leaf buds for the next season should be set, and it shouldn’t hurt your plants. Use caution when using wettable sulfur when the temperatures are hot, since it can cause some foliage burn. General fungicides such as Daconil or Funginex should also control it. If your plants bloom and come out well in the spring, you may just want to ignore it.

  My dogwoods have clusters of red berries and lone green seed pods. Which one will produce flowers in the spring?

  The red berries are the by-product of last years flowers, and are the seeds to create new dogwood trees. The green buds which are at the end of the branches, not seed pods, are the flower and or leaf buds for next years growth. The flower buds typically have a full squatty bud which comes to a point in the center--very distinctive. The leaf bud is a small pointy bud. Both are set in late summer and persist until bloom in the spring.

  How old does a dogwood tree have to be before it blooms? I planted one two years ago, and when I checked it recently, there are no flower buds on it. It has grown well, but I want it to start blooming. Anything I can do to speed up the process?

  The age a dogwood tree blooms will depend on several factors. How old was the tree when you planted it; how much sunlight does it get, and how fast is it growing? Many trees will grow rapidly during their juvenile stages, and grow vegetatively at the expense of blooms. Too much shade will delay flowering, sometimes permanently. A good average age for blooming will begin at four to five years of age, with some variability due to site.

  All around me, neighbors dogwood trees are bursting into bloom, and for the fourth straight year in a row, mine have none. I took great pains to plant them, adding organic matter in a large area, mounding them up slightly, and I have fertilized once or twice a year religiously (You see, I do follow your advice). The trees have grown in leaps and bounds, more than doubling their original planting size. They get filtered sunlight, but still no flowers. What if anything can I do to insure blooms next season?

  When a young dogwood is planted in rich soil and is well taken care of they often go through a juvenile growth stage where all of their energy is directed in plant growth, and little energy goes into setting flowers. Somehow, you need to slow this tree down. Avoid nitrogen fertilizer, either directed at the tree or by means of the surrounding lawn. Try using a little super bloom or super phosphate fertilizer now. Cut back on your watering. There is some belief that shocking a plant can induce bloom, but I sometimes wonder at what expense. Simply cut back on your care, without damaging the tree and see what happens. In time, they should begin blooming, provided they get some light.

  We live in Hot Springs Village and have many native dogwoods in our yard. We have recently heard that a fungus is attacking and killing dogwoods in our area. If this is true, how can it be identified and treated? Our neighbor says that it can be treated by spraying with a strong bleach solution. Do you agree with this? Thanks for the help.

  There has been much written on a deadly disease called anthracnose that will wipe out native dogwoods. In truth, it hasn't had much impact on Arkansas. There have been a few isolated spots, but if the disease does hit, a fungicide will control it. The harm to the natives is that if it does hit the forests and there is no one available to spot it and spray for it, it could kill the trees. For now, don't spray any bleach, but as always monitor your plants for problems. This disease causes irregular spots ringed in a purplish color. If left unchecked, it could be a problem, but we haven't seen much of it in the past two years.

  Enclosed find leaves from a dogwood tree. Some of the leaves are curling up and dying from the edges. Some have holes in them, but I cannot detect any insect activity. We have had an extremely wet spring. I also fertilized the yard pretty heavily. Could either of these things be causing the problem? This is the delta where drainage isn’t the best. Help! I don’t want to lose my dogwoods.

  The edges looked like burned leaves, possibly from fertilizer, but you also have a leaf-spotting fungus. As the tissue dies, it falls out, leaving behind ‘holes’. This can be misleading, causing you to suspect insect activity. Monitor the trees closely as the weather warms up. Hopefully the disease will stop, but if new spots occur, you can spray with Daconil or Funginex one or two times to help get it in check. Be sure to rake up and dispose of any fallen leaves all summer and fall to prevent problems next year. Watch the trees next spring for new signs of the disease. Poor drainage is not good for dogwoods, since they won’t tolerate wet feet for long. But the leaves you sent don’t indicate wet feet, but check that out and remedy if possible.

  We’re having a problem with our dogwood. It has always been full of foliage and blooms until last year. This year was very different. The leaves are curled and deformed. The blooms became brown all around the edges and had very small blooms. This dogwood tree is approximately thirty years old and about twenty feet tall. The bark on the base of the tree is coming off, leaving it smooth in sections. We have fifteen dogwoods in our yard and this is the only one with the problem. Can you tell me what is wrong and can it be cured? Do we need to cut the tree down? Is this something that the other dogwoods can catch?

  It sounds as if two things may be at work here. The deformed blooms and leaves had a disease known as spot anthracnose, which causes numerous tiny brown specks on the leaves and blooms. It is typically more prevalent in cool, wet springs. Sprays can control it, but not this late in the season. The bark falling off of the base indicates crown canker. This disease normally enters the tree through wounds. Early symptoms include an overall weakening of the tree, smaller leaves and flowers and premature fall foliage. Later, twigs and branches will die. In the first year or two the symptoms may be limited to one side of the tree, but eventually the whole tree will go. The bark falls away leaving a sunken area in the trunk. There is no control for the disease once it has progressed this far. This disease will not spread from one tree to the next, but do avoid wounding dogwoods with weed-eaters and lawn mowers. You can remove the infected tree or allow it to die on its own.

  We have a dogwood tree that we planted last October. It is about four feet tall and has grown well, filling out with nice green leaves until now. Some leaves are turning red, yellow, etc. and dropping on the ground, and it appears to have some insect chewing on it. Enclosed is a leaf that has fallen to the ground. Please help!.

  Similar questions are coming in from all over the state. Our dogwoods were hit hard this season by numerous diseases, including spot anthracnose and powdery mildew. Infestations of both diseases can cause early leaf shed. I don’t think you have insects feeding on your tree, the tissue that is damaged by the disease, dries out and falls out, looking like insect damage. Pamper your trees a little now to keep them as healthy as possible. Water as needed, especially newly planted trees. I would not recommend any fungicides now, but keep a close watch on the trees. Avoid damaging the trunks of dogwoods with weed-eaters or lawn mowers. Dogwoods typically set their flower buds for next season’s blooms in late July to early August, so hopefully you will have blooms next season.

  I am enclosing leaves from a tree that is supposed to be a flowering dogwood. These leaves get in the stage that you can see (dead and brown), and fall off mid-summer. I don’t know if it is a disease or what. I water regularly. The tree is three years old and this has happened every year. I would like to know what to do? 

  There is some spot anthracnose on the leaves, and a heavy case can cause early defoliation. As we have said frequently this season, dogwoods were hit hard by numerous things this year. When a tree is plagued several years in a row, and defoliates early, it will weaken the tree to the point that the tree will be more susceptible to borers and other diseases. Since they fall off in mid-summer, the tree is losing out on valuable resources needed for growth and flowering. Spray the tree with a dormant oil this winter, rake up all the fallen leaves. As the tree begins to leaf out in the spring, spray with a general fungicide such as Daconil or Bayleton. Hopefully, you can prevent an infestation this year. Fertilize lightly when growth begins, and again six weeks later.

  I need some information on my dogwood tree. It is four to six years old and doing great. There are a lot of branches that come from the trunk that are right on the ground. Can I trim them in the fall, and should they be cut close to the trunk?

  Flower buds are set now on your dogwood. Since the end of the season is here, why not wait and enjoy the blooms on the dogwood next spring, before you prune out the low hanging branches. When you do cut them off, make sure the first cut is on the underside of the branch about six inches away from the trunk, halfway through the limb. Then cut the branch off beyond that first half cut. If the weight of the limb is going to cause the limb to break off, you won’t damage your main trunk this way. Then make a nice clean cut closer to the trunk, making sure to keep within the natural collar of the limb.

  I love dogwood trees and would love to propagate some, but I have no idea how to do it. If you have any information on propagating dogwoods, please let me know.

  Dogwood trees grow easily from seed. Harvest the seed soon, (when the pulp easily disengages from the seed). Clean the seed and store them in a plastic bag filled with moist potting soil in your refrigerator for six to eight weeks. They can receive this chilling process naturally outside in the ground, if you choose. After the chilling, they will either sprout naturally outdoors in the spring, or you can pot up the seeds in containers and have seedlings.

  What should I use on dogwoods when the leaves look whitish and are slightly curled. When should I apply it? Also, I would like to save zinnia seeds for planting next spring. Which part of the flower head is the seed? 

  Don’t spray anything on your dogwood now for the powdery mildew. Rarely would I recommend spraying in the fall for a leaf problem. Watch the leaves closely in the spring to see if spots or mildew occurs then, and timely sprays might help. Hopefully, diseases won’t be as prevalent on our dogwoods next growing season. For zinnias, the seeds are found at the center of the flower head. When the flower turns dry and brown, the seed is mature and ready to be harvested. Pull out the seeds by hand and spread them out to dry for a week before storing.

  A store has dogwood trees dirt cheap–even pink ones. Can I still plant them this late in the year?

  By all means, plant. We are in the middle of the dormant season, and it is still an ideal time to plant trees. Balled in burlap trees should be planted while they are dormant. Containerized trees can be planted year-round, but even they benefit from dormant planting. While there is no active top-growth, there is time for the roots to get established. If you choose a particularly cold or windy day, protect the root system and plant as quickly as you can.

  How would one induce the germination of dogwood seed, other than the "bird" route? 

  Dogwood seeds germinate easily. They do require a stratification period ( a cool, moist storage time) before they will break dormancy. This stratification period can be achieved naturally outdoors, or in your refrigerator. Harvest the seeds in the fall when the outer pulp comes off easily. Clean the seeds, removing all of the pulp. Then either direct sow outdoors in a "nursery" bed, or put the seeds in a plastic bag filled with moist potting soil or peat moss. Store the plastic bag in your refrigerator for two months. After that, they can be potted and they should sprout.

  I have recently heard about some new varieties of dogwoods that are supposed to be resistant to that anthracnose disease. I think they were released by either Cornell or Rutgers. Do you know anything about them and will they grow here?

  I don’t know much about them except for what I read in catalogs. It is a new hybrid series of dogwoods that are a cross between the common dogwood Cornus florida, and the Chinese dogwood, Cornus kousa. They were created by Dr. Elwin Orton of Rutgers University. They are sold under the name Stellar Series. There are white and pink varieites. They are supposed to be resistant to anthracnose and dogwood borers. Since we can grow both types of dogwoods well in Arkansas, I would assume these crosses would also do well. Check with your local nurseries as to local availability, but they are also available through catalogs--I have seen them in Wayside Catalog.

  I have some dogwood seeds I picked from a tree in the woods. How can I prepare them for planting, and will it be worthwhile?

  Dogwood seeds must go through a cool, moist storage period, known as stratification. This can be achieved naturally, outdoors, or artificially, in your refrigerator. Clean the red pulp off the seeds. Then, either plant them outdoors in a prepared spot in your garden, or place the seeds in a plastic bag filled with moist potting soil. Place the plastic bag in your refrigerator for two to three months. Then the seeds are ready for planting. Once the soil temperature begins to warm up, the seeds should begin to sprout.

  We have a pretty, three year old dogwood, on the west side of our house, near a large maple tree. It is also in the shade of a magnolia tree much of the day. It is green, with lots of leaves and looks healthy, but it did not bloom this year. We need a suggestion and help from you.

  My guess is shade is the problem. Magnolias in particular have an extremely dense shade. Dogwoods are considered understory trees, but they do need some sunlight to bloom their best. Another possibility is age. Dogwoods usually don't bloom until they are around six years of age. If they are growing extremely fast, sometimes they grow to the exclusion of flowering. Patience is the remedy there. But do check sunlight, you may have to move the tree if you ever expect blooms.

  I recently gathered some of the red fruit or seeds from my dogwood trees. I have heard you can put these in small plastic bags filled with peat moss and if left in the refrigerator all winter, can plant them in the spring. Is this the best way to propagate dogwood trees? Should I add water to these bags?

  Dogwoods grow readily from seed. Simply put moist peat moss and seeds in the plastic bag–not water, and then place in the refrigerator. This cool moist period is called stratification. After a couple of months of this, the seeds can germinate. You can also stratify the seeds outside in the ground. Remove the outer red pulp, till an area of soil and plant the seeds. They will get their cool moist period naturally during the winter months. As the seedlings emerge in the spring, move them to a desired spot, or grow them in your "nursery" until they are a larger size.

Previous Page
Back to Trees