joe4str
ArboristSite Lurker
Hi,
I have a beautifully symmetrical natural alternate-leaved dogwood (natural) in my yard in New Hampshire.
Las summer, the leaves started to wilt and eventually died. I was unsure if this was a disease at the time or if it was drought stress -- while we had sufficient rain early in the summer, the latter part of the summer was quite dry in my area.
This year however, the affected branches did not leaf out so I suspect it was a fungal disease. I have read about the most common diseases such as dogwood anthracnose, but the dead leaves did not display the browning pattern that is so often described. Rather, they just wilted.
I pruned one of the dead branches yesterday and observed that it was much lighter in color (tannish) than the living branches, had shriveled bark and had small dark spots on the twigs. The dead branches are intermittent throughout the crown and there are quite a few in the top. I suspect if this is a fungus, then it has been spread throughout the crown by the many birds that tend to perch there.
Questions:
I am wondering if these symptoms are those of dogwood anthracnose, or if there is another such disease that attacks native dogwoods in northern New England.
I am also wondering if someone can recommend a course of treatment for this tree -- should I prune the dead branches now? What do you think about spraying it? I am also wonderin if the experts think that there is a good chance of saving the tree without having a constant losing battle with whatever is affecting it. I would like to weigh the costs and benefits of the effort.
I would also appreciate any insight into systemic versus topical fungicides.
Thanks in advance for any perspective you can lend.
I have a beautifully symmetrical natural alternate-leaved dogwood (natural) in my yard in New Hampshire.
Las summer, the leaves started to wilt and eventually died. I was unsure if this was a disease at the time or if it was drought stress -- while we had sufficient rain early in the summer, the latter part of the summer was quite dry in my area.
This year however, the affected branches did not leaf out so I suspect it was a fungal disease. I have read about the most common diseases such as dogwood anthracnose, but the dead leaves did not display the browning pattern that is so often described. Rather, they just wilted.
I pruned one of the dead branches yesterday and observed that it was much lighter in color (tannish) than the living branches, had shriveled bark and had small dark spots on the twigs. The dead branches are intermittent throughout the crown and there are quite a few in the top. I suspect if this is a fungus, then it has been spread throughout the crown by the many birds that tend to perch there.
Questions:
I am wondering if these symptoms are those of dogwood anthracnose, or if there is another such disease that attacks native dogwoods in northern New England.
I am also wondering if someone can recommend a course of treatment for this tree -- should I prune the dead branches now? What do you think about spraying it? I am also wonderin if the experts think that there is a good chance of saving the tree without having a constant losing battle with whatever is affecting it. I would like to weigh the costs and benefits of the effort.
I would also appreciate any insight into systemic versus topical fungicides.
Thanks in advance for any perspective you can lend.
