# Pink Dogwood bark issue



## mrbershaw (Feb 26, 2012)

The bark is coming off my pink dogwood. Some one said winter kill. I live in zone 6B. I don't have a clue. Any ideas? Picture attached


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## roelex14 (Feb 26, 2012)

mrbershaw said:


> The bark is coming off my pink dogwood. Some one said winter kill. I live in zone 6B. I don't have a clue. Any ideas? Picture attached



Looks like serious winter damage. The parts with the broken bark are dead (no vascular tissue left...) other parts of the tree may still be alive... could just wait until spring...


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## sgreanbeans (Feb 27, 2012)

Ya gotta pic of the whole thing? That is not "winter kill" Really, there is no such thing, the conditions where there before, temp extremes can help open/accelerate already existing cracks or other related ailments, but they do not cause them.


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## Sagetown (Feb 27, 2012)

Winter Kill? Extreme conditions can weaken the plants resistance to infestations of bugs and or disease.


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## Urban Forester (Feb 27, 2012)

It seems to me to be more than a coincidence that the bark loss is above and below a pruning cut that never compartmentalized. This could indicate the presence of a canker disease. It could also be where water got in froze or decayed the wood killing the vascular system, stimulating the bark loss. Canker and Florida Dogwoods are synonymus in Michigan. A 6B zone may be a "touch" more kind to them though... Do you have a picture of about 6 inches below where the bark is peeling at its lowest point? A closeup around that pruning cut would be nice too.


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## Ed Roland (Feb 27, 2012)

Urban Forester said:


> It seems to me to be more than a coincidence that the bark loss is above and below a pruning cut that never compartmentalized. This could indicate the presence of a canker disease. It could also be where water got in froze or decayed the wood killing the vascular system, stimulating the bark loss. Canker and Florida Dogwoods are synonymus in Michigan. A 6B zone may be a "touch" more kind to them though... Do you have a picture of about 6 inches below where the bark is peeling at its lowest point? A closeup around that pruning cut would be nice too.



I agree, Gary. Clearwing was my immediate guess but I do not see any signs in that small photo. Possibly something like Bot canker.


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