Hello I have a Flowering Dogwood tree that is approx. 20-23 years old. I do not know the exact variety, but I get white flowers in the spring & red berries in the fall. It has always been very healthy. This year I have noticed that I am starting to lose leaves & the bark is peeling vety bad. I have attached photos. We have had a very wet June. I don't know what to do. Please advise. Thank You Doug
I know cornus mas ; cornus kousa ; and cornus officinalis bark will peel as the trunk becomes larger so from what I see in your pics that is just a normal occurence as your tree ages .
Hi It's not a Cornus Mas, they have yellow puff ball blooms. My Cornus Capitata ( yellow brackets) has split bark after our cold winter 08/09, the arborist says it's from the cold conditions.
Its hard to tell from those pics since they are a bit blurry and don't show much of the smaller diameter limb bark, but it conveys bark peeling in much the same way a paperbark maple might peel with age. If the larger stems are peeling the most, that maybe what is happening.
It still looks like the natural exfoliation of cornus kousa bark, perhaps aided by squirrels? http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=32686
