Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. We recently moved into a house that has a troubled dogwood (warning, this may not be a dogwood, but it's my best guess). I haven't consulted with any professionals in my area yet, but thought I would start here. The tree seems to be in marginal health; the only bright spot is that it is blooming. The tree seems to have a few problems, it has large patches of lichen, it seems to have some sort of deterioration near the base of the tree and the most troubling are the black formations on a majority of the limbs. The black formations seem to be in abundance on the lower branches, but I can see branches near the top that also have them. Just looking for advice on how to get this tree healthier. I will be grateful for any input. Thanks, Jason
Re: Dogwood in need of help jayatl You have a flowering cherry or plum of some sort the disease you are pointing to is called Black Knot and is caused by a fungus called dibotryon morbosa Black knot of plums and cherries is a widespread and serious disease throughout the United States and Canada. Black knot is a common disease in coastal areas of high humidity on wild plums and cherries and in home orchards where pruning and spraying are not regularly practiced. here is a link to a fact sheet from Ohio State University http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3011.html And From North Carolina state http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/fd4.htm The most effective way to control the disease is to prune out the black knots. prune out the branched about 15cm (6in) from the last area of blcak knotty tissue. remember to sterilize the pruners between cuts on each branch as you do not want to spread more disease. Get a soil test done to see if you need to increase soil fertility. this can be done at yoiur local extension office. follow their recommendations as to what nutrients may be nesded. the local extension office should alos be able to send someone out to look at the base of the tree It seems to be flowering OK but best to check with an local expert. Hope this helps
Re: Dogwood in need of help Pierrot thanks for the info on my tree, I will begin the undertaking this weekend. I will also try to followup with my local extension office as well.
Before undertaking heroic measures to save this tree you might also want to just consider replacing it. Not all trees are great trees, and if it is selected badly for the area you may be better off getting rid of this and putting in something that is more disease resistant and known to do better in your climate. I am personally not a big fan of those flowering plum/cherries. Here, their flowers are over in a matter of days and from then on the tree is ugly and a pain in the neck - seedlings and suckers everywhere, leaves that suffocate the plants they fall onto, etc. I have one on my front boulevard and would replace it instantly given a chance by the city to do so.
Seedlings and suckers sounds like Prunus cerasifera. This is frequently planted as rootstock for purpleleaf plums, some cultivars of which are pure P. cerasifera as well (others are hybrids with other species).