My dogwood, until this year was normal (I think), this spring, only the bottom half (6 FT)of the dogwood bloomed and most of the top half still has no leaves. Anyone have any ideas?
Without seeing the tree have no idea why it lost part of the top. Borers, perhaps? Not sure we have dogwood borer out here. Sogginess at the root, due to that wet March? Maybe you can have a light go off with someone here if you provide more background. I do know 'Cherokee Chief' is not a Kousa, it's a Cornus florida cultivar. These are more disease susceptible, although this general tendency may have nothing to do with your particular problem.
The tree is not totally dead at the top, there are some leaves, however they are much smaller, they are distorted, and they are discoloured ie some are red, some are white with green veins and some are a combination.I live in Coquitlam and the tree is approximately 15 yrs old.
Well, I can say I see a fair amount of various trees around the lower mainland that look like what you have described. I think Japanese Maples, Dogwoods, and Lilacs, are the most common that i have noticed. The taller branches seem to barely leaf out all deformed and crappy looking and then some if not all, shrivel up. Looking like the top is dying back. It is my belief that the warmer and dryer weather has to be a possible factor. How are the rest of the leaves on the lower portion doing?
I find the symptoms that I have noticed look more like a Bacterial Blight, somewhat like Verticillium Wilt, right close to the die back stage of the branch. But, with so many trees, in so many different parts of the city showing these signs, I have a hard time believing this is a disease that I am seeing. Although Anthracnose is very common on Dogwoods.
I don't think it looks like blight, the top half ot the tree has about 10% of its leaves normal looking and the balance either distorted or not there at all. The lower half has 95% of its leaves normal and the balance either distorted or discolored (missing pigmentation, white with green veins, or red-tinged) or both. The tree is in the middle of it's bed, so it cannot have been damaged by trimmers or lawn mowers. Maybe it needs more, or less fertilizer? All I have done for fertilizer in the last three years is compost... Any ideas?
