A combination of several practices is recommended for managing dogwood anthracnose disease.
Healthy trees are much more able to cope with disease than stressed trees. Supply trees with water (not overhead sprinkling) during dry periods. Plant trees where they will get good air movement and sunlight to minimize foliage wetness.
To avoid or lower the risk of dealing with this disease, consider using resistant varieties. The white flowering Kousa dogwoods, Cornus kousa, have shown good resistance and require less input to maintain a healthy tree. A number of crosses between C. kousa and C. florida have been made in attempts to produce the flowering characteristics of the flowering dogwood with the resistance of the Kousa dogwood. These cultivars are available on the market and are known as the "Stellar" hybrid series, "Aurora", "Celestial", "Constellation", "Ruth Ellen", "Stardust", and "Stellar Pink". A resistant flowering dogwood cultivar named "Appalachian Spring" has also been developed from a living tree in an otherwise devastated Maryland forest and may soon be available.
Sanitation. Prune out dead branches during the dormant season. Remove dead and dying dogwoods.
Fungicides can be applied in the spring, starting at bud break and continuing every 7-14 days until the leaves are fully expanded. Further sprays may be necessary if the summer is unusually wet. Use a fungicide which has dogwood and anthracnose listed on the label. Please contact your local Extension office for more information on currently registered products, and be certain any formulation(s) of pesticide(s) you purchase are registered for the intended use.
