SO, is it the shade or the hitting of i.e. another tree that makes it grow upward? The tree is going to reach toward the light, wherever the light is. Dense trees will inhibit it, yes. Id like to see pics of the over 40 year Dogwoods kept in check, foxearth. You can see that the foliage on the left side of the tree is wider than the right, which is inhibited by a large juniper (Eastern Red Cedar) to the south of it. The dogwood that I haven't a photo of was inhibited by the presence of a nearby pecan and an evergreen oak and nibbled by cattle on the fence side, so it is not a specimen tree, misshapen and spindly. Limbs reach out to the light, and little sassafrases have come up around it. What if I surround the Dogwood on only TWO out of all four sides with trees - will it grow in very wide as a wedge filling in the two open sides, or will the tree remain uniformly in check keeping only as wide as the two obstructed sides (as per trees) keep it? It will grow toward the light. The sides that are not obstructed reach to the light, is my observation here. Trees on two sides generally result in more vigorous growth on the open sides. Growth will also vary with the position of the sun and the density of the trees. If there are trees on two sides and a tall building shading a third side, that will affect growth as well. The size of my trees is irrelevant because of the difference in climate, soil and growing conditions. My young dogwoods of the same age vary in height by several feet, given different siting conditions. Think about the natural growth of a forest. Dogwoods are lovely understory trees, growing with layered limbs in light high shade and adapting to the site. Planted out in the open, they grow more upright and symmetrical. Nell

Dogwoods natural habitat is as an understory tree in the forest, in the shade. Where was this planted? Did the water reach the roots? Were the roots taking up the Water?

From Rutgers Publication E160 (from results in link below): Dogwood anthracnose or decline caused by the fungus Discula, is primarily a disease of flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Tan colored leaf spots with purple margins form on developing leaves and flower bracts. These spots grow together, forming large blotches on leaf blades and along leaf margins. Infected leaves eventually die. The fungus may continue to grow down into the petioles and branches, resulting in the death of twigs and branches. Brown, elliptical cankers may form at the base of dead branches. Drought, winter injury, and environmental stress predispose dogwood to anthracnose. Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) is resistant to this disease. Proper Management Improve plant vigor, avoid moisture stress, avoid wounding, and prune affected branches 6 to 8 inches below diseased tissue during dry weather with sterilized pruning tools. Avoid planting dogwoods in shady or crowded areas. Chemical Control Chlorothalonil provides fair control of the leaf spot phase of this disease only. Apply the fungicide according to label recommendations. I expect you'd find similar information on the Cornell extension website. The Rutgers report on Trees and Shrubs from the 2008 Spring Flower Fair mentions two cornus florida varieties with anthracnose resistance: 'Appalachian Spring' and 'Cherokee Chief'. I hope it won't be necessary, but if you wind up having to replace the tree, maybe consider those cultivars. Here is a link that might be useful: Rutgers Search Results

need a pic ... how did you establish the branch was dead ... could it have just lost its leaves early???? any coincidence to lawn spraying ???? ken