Small tree: Lower branches don't have leaves (pic)

[JEDI]

In the pic, there are 5 lower branches that's not sprouting flowers/leaves.
I think last year 2 of those 5 didn't have leaves.
Now there's more.

Anyone know what's going on?
(i think the tree is a pink dogwood???)

 

[BoomerD]

gently scrape the bark...look for green underneath. If it's green...the branch is still alive. If not...cut it off.

(that's my non-professional opinion) You might PM bbhaag. He's a nurseryman by trade.

 

[JEDI]

gently scrape the bark...look for green underneath. If it's green...the branch is still alive. If not...cut it off.

(that's my non-professional opinion) You might PM bbhaag. He's a nurseryman by trade.

thx!
paging @bbhaag

 

[bbhaag]

While I appreciate the vote of confidence I am by no means a nurseryman. I'm a horticulturalist by trade with a focus on flowering annuals, perennials, vegetables, and herbs. My knowledge of trees is very limited.

That being said Boomer is on the right path. I'm not sure where you are located but to me it looks like the lower half of your Dogwood suffered some winter kill. This is pretty common in younger Dogwood that reside in cooler climates. The advice Boomer gave is accurate. Take your house key and lightly scrape the surface of the bark. If you start to see a bright green color chances are the lower half is just a little behind but is still viable. While it may not bloom this year leave it be.

If there is a dull green or brown color under the bark chances are good that the lower limbs are not viable. One other thing to check is the buds on the lower branches. I see in your pic they are budded. If the buds feel dried out or crunchy that is another sign that points toward winter kill but not always because Dogwood buds can be sensitive to late cold snaps but the branches could still be viable.

If you don't feel confident in using the scrape test or just aren't sure what to look for my advice is to just wait and see. You'll know for sure if the lower limbs haven't leafed out by early May that they aren't going to and after that you can do some light pruning.

 

[JEDI]

If you don't feel confident in using the scrape test or just aren't sure what to look for my advice is to just wait and see. You'll know for sure if the lower limbs haven't leafed out by early May that they aren't going to and after that you can do some light pruning.

i live in va.
it wasnt that cold last winter.
temps never went single digits.

so last year i should have cut off those 2 limbs that didnt have leaves by end of May?

 

[zinfamous]

i live in va.
it wasnt that cold last winter.
temps never went single digits.

so last year i should have cut off those 2 limbs that didnt have leaves by end of May?

yes but we've had several frosts/freezing evenings over the last couple of weeks, dotted within the 70 degree, spring weeks over the last month. I think bbhag is suggesting that these cold snaps that we have had are nuking those buds.

You said this happened last year, and as you probably know, we've had the same kind of cycle over the last several years: Spring days starting early March, then a couple of freezes a few days at a time, until late April.

assuming you are in NoVA, so this DC area.

 

[Gardener]

How long has it been in that spot? Two years? Three? There is quite a bit of tip dieback, even on some of the branches higher up. Although the newest growth looks more vigorous. Dogwoods don't like to bake in the sun, and require organic material in the soil for adequate water availability. This tree may have spent a few years in a pot before you bought it, it is still recovering and adjusting to its new location.

 

[JEDI]

How long has it been in that spot? Two years? Three?
There is quite a bit of tip dieback, even on some of the branches higher up. Although the newest growth looks more vigorous.
Dogwoods don't like to bake in the sun, and require organic material in the soil for adequate water availability. This tree may have spent a few years in a pot before you bought it, it is still recovering and adjusting to its new location.

dont remember when i bought the tree.
3-5 years ago, i would guess.

whats tip dieback?
any suggestions in general for this tree?

 

[Gardener]

Adequate Summer water...give it a good soaking once twice a month or as needed. Put a hose at the base, set it at just a slow dribble so that water doesn't pool and run off, let it go for .5 hour. I'd weed an area around the base of the tree, and put down some bark mulch which will help buffer moisture loss.

Monitor the leaf health, dogwoods show moisture stress readily and its easy to see. Look for leaf keeling (the leaves cup like a partially closed clamshell), leaf tip burn, and leaf discoloration.

The good news is that there is more robust new growth, the old, finer twiggy growth from its days in the nursery pot probably just could not handle the new location. Tiny diameter branches are susceptible to even minor amounts of damage, shading, or water stress are aborted by the plant when they are no longer productive. That happens to both crowded inner branches and lower shaded branches in dogwoods. Its generally not a cause for concern, except in your case where the tree is a juvenile.

 

[Gardener]

Tip dieback is when the distal end of a branch doesn't get adequate water. It's the part of the plant drawing moisture from the longest run of pipe, so it dies first. In a moderate case, the leaf will drop. In a more severe case, the entire growth node dies, and the branch dies back to the next live node.
Node = leaf or flower bud swelling

 

[JEDI]

Adequate Summer water...give it a good soaking once twice a month or as needed.
Put a hose at the base, set it at just a slow dribble so that water doesn't pool and run off, let it go for .5 hour.

wont this just water one side of the tree?
or it doesnt matter and all a tree needs is just 1 root getting water?

 

[Gardener]

capillary action will spread the water throughout the root zone, just let it run awhile.

 

[JEDI]

If you don't feel confident in using the scrape test or just aren't sure what to look for my advice is to just wait and see.
You'll know for sure if the lower limbs haven't leafed out by early May that they aren't going to and after that you can do some light pruning.

It is now May.
it's safe to cut off all the branches without leaves?

 

[bbhaag]

yes