Sick Dogwood

[AFran9266]

The bark on the trunk of my 11 year old dogwood is falling off and it is red under the bark. I also lost a lot of branches this year and the rest of the tree just doesn't seem to be that healthy. It did bloom and now has leaves but not as many as I did last year. What do I need to do? Please help, I just love this tree!

 

[Treeman14]

It could be Phytophthora root and crown rot. This root disease causes stunted growth, early fall coloration, dieback, and wilting. It also causes discoloration of the inner bark and wood of the trunk. A reddish-brown liquid may "bleed" from the infected area. Phytophthora requires high moisture to complete its life cycle, so good drainage to avoid saturated soils is the most effective treatment. A fungicide applied to the soil may provide some additional control.
Good luck, hope this helps.