Caring for Virginia’s State Tree: How to Keep Your Dogwoods Healthy

Key Takeaways

• The flowering dogwood, Cornus Florida, has been Virginia’s official state tree and flower since 1918.
• Dogwoods prefer partial shade, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, and consistent moisture rather than drought conditions.
• Dogwood anthracnose and powdery mildew are the two most common diseases affecting Northern Virginia dogwoods.
• Borers are drawn to stressed or wounded trees, making proper mulching and watering an important preventive step.
• Correct pruning timing and technique help dogwoods resist disease and maintain their natural form.

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Few trees are as closely tied to Virginia’s identity as the flowering dogwood. Its white spring blossoms line neighborhoods from Great Falls to Springfield every April, and it has held the distinction of official state tree and state flower since 1918. But dogwoods are also more sensitive than many of the shade trees homeowners are used to caring for, and a handful of common problems can quietly weaken or kill a mature dogwood if they go unaddressed. Here’s what it actually takes to keep one healthy in a Northern Virginia yard.

Why Dogwoods Need More Attention Than People Expect

Flowering dogwoods are understory trees by nature, meaning they evolved growing beneath the canopy of larger trees in forest settings, not out in full, exposed sun. That background matters for how they perform in a residential landscape. A dogwood planted in full sun, compacted soil, or a spot with inconsistent watering is already working against its natural preferences, and stressed dogwoods are considerably more vulnerable to the diseases and pests that affect the species throughout the mid-Atlantic.

Unlike a mature oak or maple, which can often shrug off a rough planting location or a dry summer, dogwoods tend to show stress clearly and relatively quickly, through scorched leaf edges, early leaf drop, sparse blooming, or dieback in the outer canopy. Recognizing these signs early, and understanding what’s actually causing them, is the difference between a dogwood that recovers and one that continues declining year after year.

The Right Planting Location

Dogwoods do best in partial shade, ideally with some protection from harsh afternoon sun, and in soil that’s well-drained but stays consistently moist rather than swinging between soggy and bone dry. Soil pH matters more for dogwoods than for many other landscape trees; they generally prefer slightly acidic soil, and a dogwood struggling in alkaline soil can show yellowing leaves and poor vigor even without any disease or pest involved.

Planting location also affects long-term disease risk. Dogwoods planted in cramped, poorly ventilated spots, crowded against a fence or wall, or beneath dense overhead canopy with little airflow, are more prone to the fungal diseases that thrive in humid, stagnant conditions. Northern Virginia’s summer humidity already creates favorable conditions for these fungi, so a planting site with reasonable air circulation is one of the simplest ways to reduce disease pressure from the start.

Dogwood Anthracnose: The Most Serious Threat

Dogwood anthracnose is a fungal disease that has caused significant dogwood decline and mortality across the mid-Atlantic and Appalachian regions since it was first identified decades ago. It typically shows up as tan or purple-bordered spots on leaves, followed by twig dieback, and in more advanced cases, cankers on branches and the trunk that can eventually girdle and kill the tree.

The disease tends to hit hardest in cool, wet spring weather and in trees already under stress from poor site conditions, drought, or shade competition. Because anthracnose can progress from leaf spotting to serious structural dieback over a period of a few seasons, it’s important to catch it early. A dogwood showing repeated leaf spotting or twig dieback in the same areas year after year should be evaluated by a professional rather than treated as a one-off cosmetic issue.

Powdery Mildew: Common but Less Severe

Powdery mildew is the disease most Northern Virginia dogwood owners will actually see, a white or gray powdery coating on leaves, most noticeable in mid-to-late summer. Unlike anthracnose, powdery mildew rarely kills a dogwood outright, but it can reduce vigor, distort new growth, and make a tree look unhealthy well before autumn color would normally set in.

Improving air circulation around the tree, avoiding overhead watering that keeps foliage wet, and choosing mildew-resistant dogwood cultivars when planting new trees all help reduce how severely this disease shows up each summer.

Dogwood Borers: A Pest That Targets Stressed Trees

Dogwood borers are moth larvae that tunnel into the bark, typically entering through wounds, pruning cuts, lawn mower or trimmer damage near the trunk, or areas of existing stress. Their tunneling disrupts the tree’s ability to move water and nutrients and can cause branch dieback or, in severe infestations, kill the tree outright.

Because borers are opportunistic and target already-weakened trees, prevention is largely about avoiding the wounds and stress that attract them in the first place. That means keeping mowers and string trimmers away from the base of the trunk, avoiding unnecessary pruning wounds, and keeping the tree properly watered and mulched so it isn’t already under drought or heat stress when borers are active.

Watering and Mulching Correctly

Consistent moisture matters more for dogwoods than for many other Northern Virginia landscape trees, particularly during their first few years after planting and during dry summer stretches. Deep, infrequent watering that reaches the root zone is more effective than frequent shallow watering, which encourages roots to stay near the surface where they’re more vulnerable to drought.

Mulch plays a significant role in dogwood health, holding soil moisture, moderating root zone temperature, and reducing the mower and trimmer damage that invites borers. A two-to-three-inch layer of mulch spread in a wide ring around the tree, kept a few inches back from direct contact with the trunk, is the standard recommendation. Piling mulch directly against the trunk, sometimes called “mulch volcanoing,” traps moisture against the bark and can actually invite the rot and pest problems homeowners are trying to prevent.

Pruning Dogwoods the Right Way

Dogwoods generally need less pruning than larger shade trees, but when pruning is needed, timing and technique both matter. 

• Late winter, while the tree is still dormant, is typically the best window, since pruning during active growth or flowering can stress the tree and interrupt bloom. 
• Pruning cuts should be made cleanly at the branch collar rather than flush with the trunk, since improper cuts leave larger wounds that heal more slowly and create additional entry points for both anthracnose and borers.
• Removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches improves airflow through the canopy, which helps with disease prevention, while shaping cuts should be limited and made with the tree’s naturally layered, horizontal branching habit in mind rather than forcing it into an unnatural shape.

Seasonal Care Through the Year

• Dogwood care isn’t a single spring task; it’s a set of small adjustments spread across the growing season. In early spring, before buds break, is the window for any structural pruning and for a close inspection of the previous year’s growth for canker or dieback that may have gone unnoticed over winter. 
• Through late spring and summer, the priority shifts to consistent watering, particularly during dry stretches, and monitoring the canopy for early signs of powdery mildew or leaf spot as humidity builds.
• Fall is an important but often overlooked period for dogwood health. Leaf drop timing and colour can provide early clues about stress or disease. Refresh the mulch before winter. Clear fallen leaves that may harbour anthracnose spores. Removing infected leaf litter can help reduce disease pressure in the following spring.
• Winter is also a good time to assess the tree. The tree is dormant, making it the safest time for necessary pruning. The bare canopy also makes it easier to inspect the tree’s overall branch structure.
• Homeowners who follow these seasonal care steps can catch problems earlier. Regular monitoring can also help keep dogwoods healthy and blooming for many years.

Choosing Disease-Resistant Cultivars

For homeowners planting a new dogwood, several cultivars bred for improved resistance to anthracnose and powdery mildew are now widely available through Virginia nurseries, and they’re worth considering over straight species trees, particularly in yards that have struggled with dogwood disease in the past. A certified arborist or local nursery can help match the right cultivar to your specific site conditions.

When to Call a Professional

Some situations call for more than home care. Recurring anthracnose symptoms, significant canopy dieback, visible borer damage, cankers on the trunk or major branches, or a decline that doesn’t improve with better watering and mulching all warrant a professional evaluation. Because dogwood problems can progress from manageable to fatal over a few growing seasons, earlier intervention gives the tree a much better chance of recovery.

Grant Brothers Tree Service provides plant and tree care including the kind of species-specific attention dogwoods need. Our ISA-Certified Arborists can diagnose whether a struggling dogwood is dealing with anthracnose, powdery mildew, borers, or simple site stress, and recommend the right treatment, pruning, or in more serious cases, removal and replanting with a stronger cultivar. We serve across Centreville, Reston, Burke, Annandale, Oakton, Falls Church, Herndon, Chantilly, McLean, and Vienna. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Dogwood Care in Virginia 

Why is my dogwood dropping leaves early in the season?

Early leaf drop is often a sign of stress from drought, poor site conditions, or disease such as anthracnose, particularly if it happens repeatedly in the same areas of the canopy.

Can dogwood anthracnose be treated?

In early stages, improving site conditions, pruning out infected wood, and reducing stress can help manage the disease. Advanced cases with trunk cankers are more difficult to reverse and may require removal.

Is powdery mildew dangerous to my dogwood?

It’s rarely fatal on its own but reduces the tree’s vigor and appearance. Improving airflow and choosing resistant cultivars helps limit its severity.

How do I prevent dogwood borers?

Avoid mower and trimmer wounds near the trunk, keep the tree properly mulched and watered, and address other stress factors that make the tree an attractive target.

When is the best time to plant a new dogwood in Northern Virginia?

Fall or early spring planting generally gives dogwoods the best chance to establish roots before summer heat arrives.

Summary Checklist: Dogwood Tree Care

Final Advice

Virginia’s state tree adds beauty and character to Northern Virginia landscapes, but keeping a dogwood healthy requires more than simply planting it and watering occasionally. The right planting location, adequate moisture, proper mulching, careful pruning, and regular monitoring can make a significant difference in its long-term health. Early attention to leaf spots, dieback, mildew, or pest damage can also prevent minor problems from becoming serious threats.

Reviewed by a Certified Arborist

This article has been reviewed by a certified arborist to ensure the guidance on dogwood disease, pests, and care practices reflects current arboriculture standards.

Sources & Credible References

• University of Connecticut
• University of Vermont
• Science Direct
• West Virginia University
• Virginia Department of Forestry
• Virginia Cooperative Extension
• International Society of Arboriculture
• USDA Forest Service