Silky dogwood with curling leaves and grey spots - Ask Extension
Hello,
We planted a silky dogwood in spring 2024 (from Lauren's nursery) in a moist to wet area of our garden with partial sun.
It grew well and app...
Knowledgebase
Silky dogwood with curling leaves and grey spots #889283
Asked November 03, 2024, 5:44 PM EST
Hello,
We planted a silky dogwood in spring 2024 (from Lauren's nursery) in a moist to wet area of our garden with partial sun.
It grew well and appeared healthy until mid-august when the leaves started to curl inwards. Is this normal for a silky dogwood towards the end of summer? Some of the leaves have grey spots. The attached photos were taken on October 22, 2024.
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
We think that the leaf curling is likely related to drought and heat stress, but it doesn't look serious.
The white spots on the leaves are due to a common disease called powdery mildew.
You can learn more about it here:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/powdery-mildew-
disease-trees-and-shrubs/
We don't recommend any treatment for it. It is a native disease on a native plant.
Here is our page on watering trees and shrubs:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-trees-and-shrubs/
We are still in a prolonged drought, so keep offering supplemental water when we don't get an inch of rain a week, right up until the ground freezes for winter.
Christine
The white spots on the leaves are due to a common disease called powdery mildew.
You can learn more about it here:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/powdery-mildew-
disease-trees-and-shrubs/
We don't recommend any treatment for it. It is a native disease on a native plant.
Here is our page on watering trees and shrubs:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-trees-and-shrubs/
We are still in a prolonged drought, so keep offering supplemental water when we don't get an inch of rain a week, right up until the ground freezes for winter.
Christine
