Droopy Dogwoods
- Treeman
- Carol Wallace
- Treeman
- Don03
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» Treeman - Anon. Question from an old hand
I recently recieved the following request via e-mail:"Actually, I do have a tree question. Last fall I planted a hedge of variegated dogwoods
around my side yard. Some of them are thriving, but randomly, a few of them are drooping
and turning crispy. I see absolutely no sign of any kind of insect on the leaves.
I have given these guys extra water and even a dose of Superthrive (but no fertilizer
- I know better than to fertilize a stressed shrub.) Any idea what the problem might
be, and how
to remedy it. My husband will shoot me if 4 of our ten hedge shrubs die on me. They
are all the colored twig types - Cornus alba, red twigged, yellow twigged, Midwinter
Fire, etc. "
These types of problems can be puzzling indeed, but hear goes some speculation. To begin with, any tree or shrub that has been recently replanted does suffer from some stress. When you have a random loss of newly planted plants stress has to be considered as a probable factor, although maybe not the only one. Carol, (Whoops), I know you have a wooded lot and you did not fully describe the circumstances of the planting....site conditions, environment and the origin and condition of the plants. You did mention you were doing some supplimental watering, but if the dogwoods are planted under the established canopy, you may be underestimating the amount of water those large, strong, well rooted, well established trees may be drawing from the new ones. Also, were the new ones raised in the open or under similar light conditions...were they bare root, B&B or container grown.
I really don't suspect an insect problem, but I wouldn't rule out a disease problem just yet. Still, I think a multitude of stress factors may be coming into play here. Also, I wouldn't pull up the droopy ones just yet. These types of dogwood do sucker from the roots, so even if you have lost the tops the roots may yet survive and yeild a plant.
By the way I have seen some specimens of the varigated, Cornus alba "Elegantisima" that I have been very impressed with. There are also several other cultivars with varying shades of creamy white to yellow varigation. Aparently some of the other shrubby type dogwoods also have varigated forms and red stems, including C. alternafolia and C. stoloniferia. All can get to be quite tall and broad and expand via underground stolons as well as by branch layering. They therefore should be given ample room or ample attention.
-- posted by Treeman
» Carol Wallace - Planting conditions
Cornus alba 'Elegantissima' - those are two of the four that are drooping. The others are yellow-twigged but I can't remember the name right off thebat.But these aren't planted in the woody area. I have a shade garden at the side of my house - a nice square lot with a gigantic Norway maple and an ancient sycamore, surrounded by shade gardens. The two trees were limbed up a few years back so that the front garden really gets more sun that shade. And the dogwoods are a mixed hedge that encloses two sides of the side yard. They are not shaded by the two trees, but undoubtedly are competing with their root systems for water. But even when we have a lot of rain, they stay a bit droopy.
I was wondering whether it might be easier on the plant if I cut them down so that they had less branch and fewer leaves to try to support right now.
But I find it odd that one dogwood will droop severely while next to it a Cornus gouchalti thrives - as do the Midwinter Fire dogwoods. They are all sharing approximately the same conditions (give or take a few feet.)
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» Treeman - Check this out
Carol go to http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/hgic/diagn...and click on "Broad leaf shrubs" in the left column, then whole shrub in the top (Symptoms) window, then wilting that appears in the lower window, Then drought in the causes list, and finally the link "wilting" in the text. Is this what you are dealing with?
-- posted by Treeman
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