Question about a mature Kousa Dogwood
I have a mature Kousa Dogwood in my backyard that has been there since we moved to the house in 2006. It has always looked terrific with great blooms each year in May-June. I noticed this year that all of the branches did not leaf out at the same time(the top branches took much longer) and some have still not leafed out although I can see buds on the tips. It's all the higher top branches that have not opened up yet, and I noticed that on many of the top branches , the leaves that have opened are staying smaller as if they are not as healthy. The rest of the tree appears healthy and it has flowered with nice bracts again, but the top of the tree has me curious. I know Kousa's like heavy watering and since it's been extremely dry here in New Jersey, I stick a hose in the ground right next to the trunk and allow a trickle to run for 20-30 minutes once a week. I also mulched heavily around the base and I was wondering if that is somehow causing an adverse affect. I have noticed other dogwoods that are not mulched at all and they look wonderful as well. Thanks for your reply's, I hope this is not a sign of weakness in this tree. I attached some photos and you'll see the couple center branches with no leaves or very small ones. Sorry but two photos came out sideways.
Comments (8)
Mike McGarvey
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Kousa Dogwood
Comments (9)It began raining steadily early this morning. I figured the arborist would "bag it". UNHUH! and I am simply amazed at the open area behind the house. Funny how trees can really make an area seem more confined than it actually is. I can't wait for a sunny day to be able to study the sun/shade patterns throughout the day (if the sun ever returns for more than a day here and there, lol). Just as an aside; I have the utmost respect for arborists. The guy we hire loves his profession and is very knowledgeable. Watching him climb tall trees to selectively limb them or to remove them in areas close to plantings or a building is amazing. We walked the property with him several years ago, pointing out the things that we loved, things we weren't sure about, and asking how we ought to go about culling/thinning. He has been wonderful! he counselled us to move slowly, pointing out trees that needed to be "addressed". We established a list of things to be "tended to" and he has liberty to come whenever he pleases; usually late fall/early winter but sometimes when he needs to fill in a "short" day. I believe our working relationship with a skilled arborist has been one of the most beneficial ones we've established over the years. He has been "money well spent"....See MoreKousa dogwood
Comments (2)I am excited to hear it is blooming!! I planted one from a seedling about 5 years ago and it is now about 5 feet tall but still no blooms! Is there hope? As far as pruning your tree, you may want to wait until it is done blooming. I prune just about everything as long as it is done blooming and/or not close to a frost....See MoreKousa Dogwood, Cleveland or Bradford Pear ?
Comments (11)The main reason kousas are recommended over cornus florida is because they are less prone to disease. Dogwoods are a bit problematic. It always seems to be something with them. I don't think kousas look "great" in full sun. As for why pears are a bad idea, here are some reasons why. 1.) They are environmentally unfriendly as they are an invasive species that are taking over native forest including dogwoods (especially dogwoods!) and choking them out with thickets. 2.) They are weak wooded and have narrow crotch angles and break apart in storms. But they will get very big first creating an expensive tree surgeon service call. 2.5) They are short lived. 3.) The blooms smell bad. 4.) The blooms are short. 5.) The leaves drop very late in the season requiring second cleanup. 6.) Surface roots. Big ones. And they are numerous. 7.) Dense shade = no turf, moss, possibly unwanted perennial moisture, shrooms etc. 8.) The people that still grow these don't deserve one red cent. 9.) Partridges 10.) McFlora... yawn. Serviceberrys , crab apples, red maple and cherries are commonly suggested for full sun sites where flowering trees are desired as substitutes for callery pears. None of those are perfect either the small flowering trees in general are not the longest lived in the bunch but anything is better than a 40 foot tree that was planted 5 years prior that literally explodes in a seemingly innocent storm and lands on property or persons requiring thousands in cleanup or insurance deductibles, wrongful death lawsuits etc....See Morepruning young kousa dogwood
Comments (4)This is a very old post. I'm wondering if you're still living at this same location? I have two dogwoods. One is a Cornus Kousa like yours. I've done some research about pruning Kousa dogwoods and the advice I read said NOT to prune in the early spring or summer because the tree will be vulnerable to dogwood borer. Apparently they are attracted to the exposed inner wood of the tree and will lay eggs in it. It's the only real pest the Kousa has, so do wait. Some people get away with it and therefore think it's okay to prune whenever their tool is in their hand, but I don't like to tempt fate. The Kousa I have is a clump variety with three equal-sized trunks coming from the ground. Last year I noticed the leaves on one of the trunks looked pale. I was dismayed and worried when I examined the trunk these pale leaves grew from and saw that a lot of the bark had come off. This year to my surprise, all the leaves on that branch look fine. Of course the bark is still missing in lots of areas, but the leaves growing from this trunk look fine. I have no idea what happened. I'm just glad that it seems okay. To make a long story short, don't prune your dogwood till late winter, very early spring. It's not worth the risk. If you're still at the same address when you wrote back your dogwood, please write back and let us know how the Kousa you wrote about is doing....See MoreMike McGarvey
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoWe had the warmest winter that I can remember.....and dry, for us. A little cold for a few days in November with less than half inch of snow here in the foothills outside of Seattle.
The news said ripe strawberries are a month ahead of normal this year.
My species Cornus kousa hasn't bloomed yet, but 'Satomi' has.I planted it below the driveway and it has a rather flat top.
Mike
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