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Dogwood Anthracnose: Dogwoods Aren’t In The Clear Yet!

Resources: Tree Problems

dogwood anthracnose 2

Dogwood Anthracnose is a very common and visually unappealing disease to which the Cornus florida is extremely susceptible. Cornus florida, commonly known as the flowering Dogwood, is very common in our area and is even Virginia’s state tree. Now days, we utilize Dogwoods for their aesthetic appeal; however, during the American Civil War they were best known for their bark which was used to make tea to treat pain and fevers. Dogwoods were also used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine.  However, just because they used to be used as medicine doesn’t mean Dogwoods can protect themselves from diseases like Anthracnose.

 

dogwood anthracnose 1Anthracnose is a fungal disease that displays  a wide range of symptoms including:

Symptoms of Anthracnose

  • Tan to brown leaf spots which may have purple rings around them
  • Wilting of Leaves
  • Blotches
  • Defoliation
  • Cankers
  • Dieback
  • Death

If left untreated Anthracnose will continue to worsen year after year until the Dogwood dies.

However, Dogwoods are not the only trees affected by this disease. Other susceptible trees include; ash, oaks, sycamores, maple, and other deciduous hardwoods. In these species, Anthracnose typically isn’t fatal but it does weaken the tree which attracts other deadly insects and diseases.

How Does Dogwood Anthracnose Spread?

Anthracnose spreads and thrives in wet conditions. In winter months it hides in fallen leaves and dead twigs until the fungus is awakened by rainfall and then spread to the tree’s new growth. This makes it very easy for a tree that battled Anthracnose last year to re-contract the fungus this year. Unfortunately, your tree is already showing signs of Anthracnose, there is nothing an Arborist can do to cure the damage this is why preventative care for Anthracnose prone trees, like the Dogwood, is so important. However, Arborists can stop further damage from occurring by applying a fungicide.

Dogwood Anthracnose

Dogwood Anthracnose Treatment

Preventative Dogwood Anthracnose treatment typically includes  3-4 fungicide treatments throughout the spring and summer to keep Anthracnose from infecting the tree. If the timing of the first treatments has passed you can still keep your tree from being infected with Anthracnose by starting a Dogwood Protection Program as soon as possible. If your tree is already showing signs of Anthracnose you can stop further damage by starting a Dogwood Protection Program as well. An Arborist may also recommend performing fertilization and pruning to help combat the fungal disease.

What Can You Do To Prevent Dogwood Anthracnose?

  • Perform Sanitation Raking: This means raking up all the leaves underneath and surrounding your Dogwood during the winter and disposing of them to keep Anthracnose spores in the leaves from reinfecting the next year’s growth.
  • Get your Dogwoods treated with a Fungicide by a Certified Arborist
  • Invest in a Canopy Protection Program to make your Dogwood healthier and stronger overall which in turn makes it less susceptible to diseases and insects.

If you want to protect your dogwoods from Dogwood Anthracnose book a consultation online with one of our Certified Arborist or call our office at 703.573.3029

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Google Reviews

Grey Burkhart
Grey Burkhart
March 29, 2022.
Verified
Very professional review of our requirements and an accurate estimate. Showed up on time and were finished quickly. Cleaned up all of the debris and sawdust. Great job all around.
Dennis Bruns
Dennis Bruns
March 8, 2022.
Verified
We have used RTEC Treecare for several years. They do excellent work. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and take great care in explaining the various options available for your particular situation. I highly recommend them.
Annette Iannucci
Annette Iannucci
February 23, 2022.
Verified
We have been using RTEC for years and were very pleased with the recent tree maintenance work they did for us. As always, we got good advice from their arborist Ben,. The crew that did the work is highly skilled, and they did a great job trimming our trees. They worked safely and efficiently, in addition to leaving the yard clean after they finished the work.
Susan Crawford
Susan Crawford
January 26, 2022.
Verified
RTEC was at my house today to removed a large Magnolia that was badly damaged by the recent snow. They did a fantastic job at a very reasonable price. They arrived right on time, worked efficiently and quickly and cleaned up so well it was hard to tell anything have been disturbed. Over the past several years, I have used RTEC for all the services I checked above, and have always been very pleased with their service and professionalism. I also appreciate that they are not eager to take down trees that don't need to come down. In this case, the damage was too extensive for the tree to recover.
Kenton Morgan
Kenton Morgan
January 20, 2022.
Verified
Once again, RTEC has done a great job. The team showed up right on time and performed all the work that we agreed to. They kept us informed as to progress, coordinated with us concerning our maple, and made recommendations concerning ongoing support for our trees. At the end of the day, they thoroughly cleaned up the debris and left our yard in pristine condition. WELL DONE.
Jean Kluttz
Jean Kluttz
January 3, 2022.
Verified
Not our first time but this time was tricky removal of a large dead tree leaning on a healthy tree. Quick response for estimate, good timing to removal, all clear and healthy tree still fine.
Jerry Haggin
Jerry Haggin
December 16, 2021.
Verified
Very good work while ensuring that I was aware of status of my work order and planned completion.
Mike Iger
Mike Iger
December 16, 2021.
Verified
David Roberts
David Roberts
December 15, 2021.
Verified
We’ve used RTEC for many years for tree maintenance and can’t say enough good things about their service. We use them for tree trimming and for regular treatments to maintain our trees’ health and deal with pests and prevent disease. Their arborist Ben has been especially helpful with advice. RTEC also been especially helpful in emergency situations, once coming to cable a massive, heritage oak in our yard right before a hurricane was about to hit. Highly recommend.
Travis Larson
Travis Larson
December 10, 2021.
Verified
RTEC did an excellent job onsite of removing dead branches from our 80+ year old trees, and trimming other growth too close to our home.
Google rating score: 4.8 of 5, based on 185 reviews.

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