Failing dogwood shrub - Ask Extension
I have two shrubs on the same side of the house. One very healthy the other thinning on top though lower branches look good. In the picture subject sh...
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Failing dogwood shrub #907942
Asked June 30, 2025, 9:46 PM EDT
I have two shrubs on the same side of the house. One very healthy the other thinning on top though lower branches look good. In the picture subject shrub is in the foreground
Healthy twin is beyond some native plants.
Healthy
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
I believe water is pooling around the roots of your struggling shrub. if you were to dig down, I believe you would find roots that are brown and soft instead of firm and white. Perhaps there is drainage from the roof there or the landscape slopes down there. Take a good look at your area. Also, if the soil there is clay, that also will cause what you are seeing.
