Newly planted dogwood tree leaves curling - Ask Extension
Hello, last fall I got five 2.5" caliper June snow dogwood trees and planted them in my backyard along the property line. As spring arrived all ...
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Newly planted dogwood tree leaves curling #792489
Asked May 24, 2022, 6:47 PM EDT
Hello, last fall I got five 2.5" caliper June snow dogwood trees and planted them in my backyard along the property line. As spring arrived all of them began to leaf out nicely. In the past week, the leaves on one of them began to curl. The other four look great and are forming flowers. They all get the same amount of sun and are in the same soil (approx 20' apart). Is there anything you could suggest to help me deal with this? I am not sure if my tree is dying or just stressed. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. I have included a picture of one of the healthy yes and the one with curled leaves.
Marion County Oregon
Expert Response
Dear Brian,
Thank you for contacting Ask Extension. The leaf curling appears to occur throughout the entire tree. From this, we can probably rule out aphids which are the most common cause of leaf curl at this time of year.
Since the tree was only planted last year, I suspect there may be a problem with the roots. In your photos, I cannot see the point where the trunk meets the soil. The root flare (widened portion at the base of the trunk) should be exposed; if not, the tree is planted too deeply. You can send another photo if you'd like me to take a look.
Another possibility is too much water or poor drainage in that particular spot.
These are the most likely causes, although there are others. If you see any spots, holes, browning, or other abnormal appearance of the leaves, please take a close-up photo and send a reply to this email.
I hope this information is helpful.
If there are no aphids, other possible causes of leaf curl include:
Thank you for contacting Ask Extension. The leaf curling appears to occur throughout the entire tree. From this, we can probably rule out aphids which are the most common cause of leaf curl at this time of year.
Since the tree was only planted last year, I suspect there may be a problem with the roots. In your photos, I cannot see the point where the trunk meets the soil. The root flare (widened portion at the base of the trunk) should be exposed; if not, the tree is planted too deeply. You can send another photo if you'd like me to take a look.
Another possibility is too much water or poor drainage in that particular spot.
These are the most likely causes, although there are others. If you see any spots, holes, browning, or other abnormal appearance of the leaves, please take a close-up photo and send a reply to this email.
I hope this information is helpful.
If there are no aphids, other possible causes of leaf curl include:
- Not enough water, too much water, or poor drainage.
- Using too much fertilizer or fresh manure.
- Apple borers in the trunk.
- Damage to the trunk (voles, equipment, etc.)
- Nutrient deficiency.
