Please Help, do I have Dogwood Discula/Dogwood anthracnose?

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debraatl Alpharetta, GA Apr 30, 2006

I was unfamiliar with the Dogwood anthracnose disease effecting dogwood trees when I had three 6' trees planted in a wooded area last fall. They currently receive around 30% - 40% sunshine. They have seemed to do be doing very well and had very nice flowers this Spring. I understand now though that they probably should have been planted in a sunnier area. I was walking through my yard today and noticed that the lower branches on all three trees are dead and the leaves that are on the upper branches are outlined in a purple color. After a little research I am dissapointed to say it sounds like the dogwood disease Discula. Can anyone offer me any help? I am so dissapointed, I had always wanted dogwoods in this area of my yard. Is there any way to save my trees? What should I do? Please help.

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StarhillForest Illinois, IL(Zone 5b) Apr 30, 2006

Hopefully someone in your area will respond soon. We are not in an area with a serious Discula problem, and all of my dogwoods are in at lkeast half sun and on a breezy hill. It does sound like anthracnose to me but maybe it's something entirely different, especially since these are new trees still undergoing transplant shock. Try to keep the foliage dry, and immediately remove any fallen leaves to reduce innoculum. We'll see what other advice you receive here. Good luck with them --

Guy S.

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debraatl Alpharetta, GA May 01, 2006

Thank you for your reply. I would appreciate any info/advice I can get. I am really concerned about them. We had a tornado nearby recently that damaged one of the large trees in my yard. I need to call an arborist in for that one, so I will try to get him/her to consult with me on the dogwoods at the same time.

Thanks again.

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Joulz Metuchen, NJ May 02, 2006

I diagnosed my dogwood with anthracnose two years ago. I believe there's not really anything you can do to "cure" the disease, assuming that's what yours has, but you can do lots of things to prolong the life of the tree. Like Guy says, prune away the dead branches (disinfect the pruners between cuts), remove fallen leaves by throwing them in the trash, check the soil for any nutrient deficiencies. In spring, clean out the mulch under the tree completely and start over with fresh mulch. I give my dogwood a shot of bone meal in spring and fall. It seems to like that.

So far so good. Since I started babying my tree, it actually looks better than it ever did.

Good luck.
--Julie
Here's my dogwood-
http://www.coffeedrome.com/jtree2dog.html

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debraatl Alpharetta, GA May 09, 2006

Thanks so much for the info. After looking at them more closely two look pretty ok, but the third looks like it has the disease. I appreciate the suggestions and will do everything that you say. Thanks again. I hope I am able to keep the trees for a long time.

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