Problem with dogwood bark - Ask Extension
We are concerned about the bark of this dogwood that was installed 5/23. I didn't see any sawdust of evidence of borers. Not sure if it fungal or a ...
Knowledgebase
Problem with dogwood bark #885237
Asked September 14, 2024, 11:57 AM EDT
We are concerned about the bark of this dogwood that was installed 5/23. I didn't see any sawdust of evidence of borers. Not sure if it fungal or a canker? it seems mostly healthy. These photos are dated 9/14/24. Hope you can help. Thanks U.T.
Frederick County Maryland
Expert Response
The bark damage doesn't appear to be fungal or canker-related, and the injuries appear to be sealing-over well on their own. The orientation (running perpendicular to the trunk) suggests physical damage, perhaps when the tree was being transported to the home or planting site, if the trunk was scraped-up by leaning on a truck bed rim or some other object. In either case, nothing needs to be done (no treatment would help, anyway) and the wounds should continue to gradually close-over, becoming less prominent as the trunk thickens with age.
The foliage is showing signs of early fall color due to general stress, which might be due to root moisture levels and/or the tree's location in what appears to be full sun. Dogwoods are adapted to woodland or woods-edge habitats, and can struggle in locations that don't give them much midday shade. We've seen mature dogwoods grow just fine in full sun, so it's not dooming the tree necessarily, but it's a factor to bear in mind when it comes to irrigation needs. Monitor the tree for watering needs by feeling the soil about six inches deep in the root zone and watering well only once it becomes somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. (If damp when checked, watering can probably wait, as dogwoods are sensitive to overly-wet soil.)
We can't see the base of the tree, but if the lawn grows too close to the trunk, it will compete with the tree for resources, plus pose a risk to bark injury from mower or string trimmer strikes, which can be fatal and not treatable if they occur. If you use any herbicide on the lawn, its proximity to the tree also risks exposing the bark or root system to certain chemicals that could stunt the tree's growth. We recommend that trees growing surrounded by lawn have a mulched zone several feet out from the trunk in all directions, carefully removing the grass and using 2-3 inches in depth of mulch in its place, making sure that mulch doesn't cover the trunk itself. You could use a living perennial groundcover in place of mulch if you prefer. (See the linked pages for more information.)
If deer pass visit this part of the yard, protect the trunk with a wire cage (give the trunk plenty of room to expand without constriction) so that bucks don't rub antlers on the bark in autumn, an injury that, similar to mower damage, could potentially be serious and either stagnate tree growth for several years or kill it entirely. We don't think that the old damage pictured was due to deer activity, but the injuries antlers can cause to bark tend to be much more extensive, and young trees are preferred by bucks looking to scrape the velvet off of their antlers at the start of the breeding season.
Miri
The foliage is showing signs of early fall color due to general stress, which might be due to root moisture levels and/or the tree's location in what appears to be full sun. Dogwoods are adapted to woodland or woods-edge habitats, and can struggle in locations that don't give them much midday shade. We've seen mature dogwoods grow just fine in full sun, so it's not dooming the tree necessarily, but it's a factor to bear in mind when it comes to irrigation needs. Monitor the tree for watering needs by feeling the soil about six inches deep in the root zone and watering well only once it becomes somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. (If damp when checked, watering can probably wait, as dogwoods are sensitive to overly-wet soil.)
We can't see the base of the tree, but if the lawn grows too close to the trunk, it will compete with the tree for resources, plus pose a risk to bark injury from mower or string trimmer strikes, which can be fatal and not treatable if they occur. If you use any herbicide on the lawn, its proximity to the tree also risks exposing the bark or root system to certain chemicals that could stunt the tree's growth. We recommend that trees growing surrounded by lawn have a mulched zone several feet out from the trunk in all directions, carefully removing the grass and using 2-3 inches in depth of mulch in its place, making sure that mulch doesn't cover the trunk itself. You could use a living perennial groundcover in place of mulch if you prefer. (See the linked pages for more information.)
If deer pass visit this part of the yard, protect the trunk with a wire cage (give the trunk plenty of room to expand without constriction) so that bucks don't rub antlers on the bark in autumn, an injury that, similar to mower damage, could potentially be serious and either stagnate tree growth for several years or kill it entirely. We don't think that the old damage pictured was due to deer activity, but the injuries antlers can cause to bark tend to be much more extensive, and young trees are preferred by bucks looking to scrape the velvet off of their antlers at the start of the breeding season.
Miri
