Dogwood Anthracnose Fact Sheet

It is also an important disease of pacific dogwood cornus nuttallii in the west.

Dogwood anthracnose fact sheet.

Kousa are quite resistant to the disease. Dogwood anthracnose is not to be confused with dogwood spot anthracnose discussed previously or shade tree anthracnose affects other shade trees but not dogwood. Warm dry weather will curtail the disease. It is also an important disease of pacific dogwood cornus nuttallii in the west.

Early spring blossoms from bright yellow to creamy white. Nuttallii dogwood species in the united states. Chinese dogwood cornus kousa is tolerant of discula anthracnose and is recommended for nursery stock and replacement of dogwoods that have been killed by the fungus. Dogwood powdery mildew has also become a recent major threat to dogwoods.

Outstanding features small to medium size allows for many landscape applications. Dogwood anthracnose is a disease caused by the fungus discula destructiva. Dogwood anthracnose discula destructiva is often described as the most serious disease that affects dogwood species specifically flowering cornus florida and mountain c. Burgundy red fall foliage on most species.

The fungus discula destructiva causes dogwood anthracnose leaf blight and canker. Dogwood anthracnose is considered the most serious disease of flowering dogwood cornus florida in connecticut and the eastern seaboard. Irregular brown wrinkled patches form on flower bracts and leaves in the spring. Several stellar hybrid crosses between c.

The causal agent is the fungus discula destructiva and as the name suggests this pathogen is highly. Early spring blossoms from bright yellow to creamy white. Bright red or bluish black fruit. Patches of gray mold grow on the patches if the weather remains very humid.

Dogwood anthracnose infects flowering cornus florida and pacific dogwoods c. This aggressive disease can result in tree death. Either tree or shrub form depending on species. Kousa is also susceptible to infection but is highly resistant to the disease and typically suffers only minor leaf spotting.

The fungus has caused extensive mortality of dogwoods in portions along the east coast into the southeastern united states since it was first discovered in the early 1970s. This disease occurs only if weather conditions are very wet and humid in the spring. For this reason it can be beneficial to plant your dogwood in late spring when warm temperatures will kill the fungus which thrives in cooler wet weather. Dogwood anthracnose can be prevalent in native dogwood populations in kentucky forests as well as in landscapes where dogwoods grow in shaded locations.

Unlike spot anthracnose dogwood anthracnose can lead to tree death under certain environmen tal conditions.