Kousa Dogwood suffering - Ask Extension
This one is a Kousa Dogwood, the tree seems to be suffering, see the leaves, are like it needed some water but I water and there was a lot of rain tho...
Knowledgebase
Kousa Dogwood suffering #907728
Asked June 29, 2025, 4:59 PM EDT
This one is a Kousa Dogwood, the tree seems to be suffering, see the leaves, are like it needed some water but I water and there was a lot of rain those days. I think something else is going on. What can I do ?
Ingham County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello,
I think you are doing all you can be doing, with the frequent watering. It looks like the tree is experiencing transplant stress which is common during periods of high heat. In heat like we have been having, plants continually lose water in an effort to cool itself. Frequent watering is the best advice I can give.
Hopefully the tree has been planted at the correct depth and has a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the base but not touching the trunk out to the dripline. That will help conserve moisture and keep the roots cooler, as well as keeping lawn equipment at bay.
I am attaching a good article about how to plant a tree at the correct depth. This is critical to the tree's health in future years.
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-433-w.pdf
I think you are doing all you can be doing, with the frequent watering. It looks like the tree is experiencing transplant stress which is common during periods of high heat. In heat like we have been having, plants continually lose water in an effort to cool itself. Frequent watering is the best advice I can give.
Hopefully the tree has been planted at the correct depth and has a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the base but not touching the trunk out to the dripline. That will help conserve moisture and keep the roots cooler, as well as keeping lawn equipment at bay.
I am attaching a good article about how to plant a tree at the correct depth. This is critical to the tree's health in future years.
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-433-w.pdf
