What is wrong with my kousa dogwood?
In general, flowering dogwoods do poorly in compacted soils, dry soils, poorly drained soils, neutral to alkaline soils and also during prolonged periods of heat and/or drought. Two of the most serious problems they are sometimes afflicted with are dogwood anthracnose and dogwood borer. Dogwood Anthracnose In the past, this was the most serious disease of flowering dogwoods in the landscape and our forests but it is now less common. The early symptoms begin in mid-to-late May as leaf spots with tan or purple borders. In wet weather, these spots can rapidly enlarge and kill the entire leaf.Dogwood Anthracnose: Tan spots with irregular purple margins on leaves. Entire leaves may become blighted, turning brown, and eventually falling off prematurely. This is one of the most common diseases to affect dogwoods. Cercospora Leaf Spot: Small, tan to light brown spots with reddish-purple borders on leaves.Dogwood Anthracnose Symptoms: dark spots on leaves and flower bracts; blighted leaves; twig dieback; reduces flowering, causes defoliation (spring).Dogwoods are treasured landscape trees. A destructive disease known as anthracnose can tarnish their beauty, degrade their health, or even kill the tree.
What is the lifespan of a kousa dogwood tree?
It can thrive in full sun and partial shade. It is also moderately tolerant of drought conditions. Kousa dogwood blooms a month later than flowering dogwood. The life expectancy of Kousa dogwood is between 50 and 150 years. Kousa Dogwoods like full sun to part shade and soil that is well-drained, acidic, and nutrient rich.
What is the difference between kousa and flowering dogwood?
Some of the differences are the bloom time, fruit structure, and bark texture. Flowering dogwood blooms about 1 month prior to kousa dogwood and the fruits of flowering dogwood are bright red berry-like drupes, whereas kousa dogwood fruits are a globose pink to red compound drupe. Cornus kousa ‘China Girl’ (Flowering Dogwood) This popular dogwood is an improved and reliable, early flowering form of the more well known Cornus kousa var chinensis and has masses of large, creamy-white flower bracts covering the branches in early to mid summer once established.
What is the best fertilizer for Kousa dogwoods?
A newly-planted dogwood 6 ft tall requires about ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) of a 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 fertilizer in March and again in July. Evenly broadcast the fertilizer on the soil surface covering a radius 2 ft from the trunk. Dogwood trees should get about an inch of water each week from rain or irrigation. If rainfall is insufficient, water enough to soak several inches into the soil once a week. For newly planted trees, two gallons per week should be adequate except in drier, sandier soils where 6-8 gallons a week might be necessary.