It is disheartening to see a prized and beloved landscape tree or shrub fall, become damaged, decline in health or die. For the last few years, I have observed and become very concerned with the worsening health of local dogwood trees. So many of our native flowering dogwoods, Cornus florida, are struggling. Throughout Central Alabama, many of these small ornamental trees are slowly waning, showing dieback and producing dead limbs. Sadly, many of our mature beautiful dogwoods are disappearing or already gone.  

I began to first notice the degeneration of dogwoods in my own yard and property a few years ago. I live in a wooded area and had many older dogwoods growing in the mature forest. Several experienced dieback in their canopies. Random portions, typically the top growth and large branches, just died. The trees had sections with no leaves in the spring. Within two to three years, I have watched 10 or more large dogwoods slowly get worse, weaken and fall.Â