The many different varieties of dogwood, especially the red dogwood with its beautiful autumn colors, are among the most popular ornamental trees in home gardens. They are extremely robust and easy to care for. However, the bushes are not always immune to fungal diseases.
What is the cause of fungal diseases in dogwood?
Fungal diseases are relatively rare in dogwood, but not impossible. However, if the resistant plants show signs of fungal infestation, then this is usually due tocare errorsorwrong location.
How do I recognize fungal infestation on dogwood?
A fungal attack on dogwood can be recognized by the following features:
- Leaf browning: the leaf tips turn brown
- DarkLeaf spots
- Necroses on the branches or new shoots as the disease progresses
Leaf browning as a fungal disease is known in technical language asAnthracnose. The cause of the disease is the harmful fungus Discula destructiva.
A second possible fungal disease of dogwood ispowdery mildew. It is characterized by a white, unpleasantly greasycoating on leaves and shoots.
What damage can fungal infestation cause?
The dogwood, regardless of which of the many different varieties, generally does not survive an advanced anthracnose if left untreated. The fungal attack then leads to thedeathof the plant.
The powdery mildew usually does not cause any major damage.
In order to prevent long-term damage, you should remove the diseasesfight as early as possible
How can I combat fungus infestation on dogwood?
To combatanthacrosis, a generous,radical pruningof the dogwood is the only option. There is no other way to save the plant. Be sure to remove all diseased branches and shoots and cut them down to he althy wood
cut away generously. In addition, spraying with a milk-water mixture (ratio 1:10) is recommended.
Do pesticides help against fungal infestation?
When infested withLeaf tanfungicides are almostineffective.
When infested withYou can successfully combat powdery mildew with special chemical pesticides.
Tip
We recommend trying a home remedy such as spraying with whole milk and water before using fungicides.
How can I prevent fungal attack on dogwood?
The be-all and end-all for the dogwood is theright locationIf the ornamental tree, whose most popular varieties include the flowering dogwood (Cornus kousa), feels comfortable in its place, it will Preventing fungal infections as best as possible.
A location that is too hot can be just as wrong as too little sun. Care must also be taken to ensurewell-drained soil. When it is very dry in summer, dogwood must be watered sufficiently. Over-fertilization should be avoided.
Tip
Mealybugs as possible pests
If the entire bush is sticky and ants are magically attracted, the dogwood is infested with the mealybug. The unloved pests are annoying, but can be combated with home remedies. Spraying with neutral vegetable oil is usually sufficient. Alternatively, parasitic wasps can be used for pest control.
