I posted a similar observation a few days back. This is one of the worst years for Cornus Florida blooming in central New Jersey based on my recollection over the last 18 years. I have several trees, big and small, in my yard. All of them are exhibiting disappointing performance. I looked around in several Monmouth county towns over the weekend and I saw the same effect. There may be an environmental factor at play, in my opinion. Cornus Mas did great. We'll see how Cornus Kousa performs when it starts blooming soon. We had a lot of precipitation during winter and early spring, followed by a few days of 80F+ weather in early April. Early-blooming Magnolia blooms wilted quickly. John

It's a little hard to tell from the photo, but it might also have powdery mildew - the leaves may have a white powdery substance on them. This is common for dogwoods, and is unsightly, but not threatening. Good air circulation helps prevent it. If you are upset by it, then mixing milk with water, at almost any dilution and spraying the leaves at the first sign of it next year should ward it off. Spray as needed over the summer. This is better as a preventative - almost nothing works for a full-blown case. It looks as though the tree didn't get enough water in the beginning. Try scratching lightly at the seemingly dead branches - if there is no green cambium layer under the bark, then the branches are dead - you might as well prune them off, just where the new growth starts. Sometime this winter, while the leaves are off the tree, you can look carefully at it, from all around, and decide if you need to prune any other branches to get a good shape to the mature tree - it's better to do this while the tree is small, and the cuts are small. RIght now, however, the tree needs all the leaves it has to grow good roots, so it can be healthy next year. Check the soil, down 2-3" - if it is dry, water, and if it is damp, wait and check again in a day or two. Water deeply and slowly, so the water soaks to the bottom of the root area. Then wait to water until the soil is dry at the surface again, not on a rigid time schedule. You want to give it the equivalent of an inch of rain per week for the first year, then you can start tapering back. If it rains, adjust your watering accordinly. It looks as though that area of your yard is mulched, which is good - you want no more than 4" of mulch, however. Just make sure there is no mulch in the 2-3" next to the trunk, as piling mulch up around trunks can encourage rot in the future.

Hi everyone. I haven't been on the board for a few days and missed that my thread was up for discussion again! Thanks for all your comments. Jen4268, That is a very pretty room, but SO not what my DD wants. I brought home 2 more sample quarts and slapped them on the walls. Nope--hated them. So, really, who am I to tell her which color with which to surround herself? The room is big enough. It can take the color. DD is a dancer. Loves to be on stage. Almost 13. And a girl whose dream is to live in NYC someday (hence the large framed black and white photo of the Brooklyn Bridge at night that will be going on the wall). I think she wants a rather sophisticated room-maybe this is her image of what a dancer living in NYC would do with her space. But of course my idea of sophisticated and a 13 year olds idea are going to be very different! I think she wants a "cool" teen room, but not in a typical PB Teen way. I agree that it's her space and I don't care whether it "goes" with the rest of my house. But she will be getting the bucket out and repainting if she is sick of it in a year. So deep coral pink walls, white trim. Oh and let's not forget the ballet barre and wall of mirrors either! Magnaverde, I just adore you!

Those that have been blackspot resistant for me are Earth Song, Winter Sunset, Prairie Harvest, and Les Sjulin. The first three are somewhat fragrant. Most can get cercospora spot. Prairie Sunrise has one of the nicest flowers, and seems somewhat resistant, but I spray it occasionally. Quietness is resistant in some gardens, but it depends on the strains of BS in your particular garden. I haven't found it slow-growing at all. My own-root Q grew quickly to 4' x 4', now 5'x5'. The beautiful Q flowers are resistant to botrytis petal blight and balling. Distant Drums is one that didn't grow vigorously on its own roots. It's basically a normal hybrid tea with exotic coloring and fragrance.