Question
My 31 year old pink dogwood looks terrible!  The leaves are mostly brown.  The tree bloomed late this spring and is now all in leaf, but they are kind of curled up and dry looking and brown!  What's wrong with it?  We live in the Pacific NW.  We had a very wet spring and everything bloomed late this year.  It had lots of flowers.  Thanks for any suggestions.

P.S.  My husband did do some pruning and removed some large branches earlier this past fall.

Answer
Sounds like the dogwood has dogwood anthracnose. This disease of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) and Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) has decimated much of the native Dogwood populations in the forests of the United States. The fungus that causes the disease, Discula destructiva, was probably introduced into the United States near Connecticut and Washington State simultaneously in the mid-1970s. Although it entered the U.S. at two separate points, genetic analysis has shown that the causal organism is the same. However, the origin of this pathogen remains unknown, as it has yet to be identified on any species of Dogwood occurring outside the U.S.

Shortly after the leaves have expanded (mid-late May and June), spots and blotches of varying shape and size appear on infected trees. These spots have a tan center and a purple or reddish margin. On the opposite side of the leaf, tiny brown or black spots may appear beneath these lesions. The flower "petals" or bracts are also susceptible and show reddish or brownish blotches. Blotches can also occur at the tip or along the margin of leaves; these too have a tan center and purplish margin. In some cases, entire leaves may become infected and die. Many drooping, brown, dried leaves remain on the stem throughout the fall and winter.

When the whole leaf is affected, the infection may then proceed through the petiole of the leaf into the stem causing stem cankers. Infection of the stems and shoots may also occur directly. Cankers are generally tan on healthy gray background and produce the same reproductive structures on their surface as are found on the undersides of leaves. Over time, infection of twigs and shoots by these cankers kills branches, usually beginning with those low on the tree and moving upward . The tree may attempt to compensate by sending out sprouts from the trunk, but the fungus easily infects them. Infection of the sprouts usually spreads quickly to the trunk and causes severe cankers with split or buckled bark. Affected trees may die within 1-3 years; saplings may die in the same year they are infected.

A combination of several practices is recommended for managing this disease. Healthy trees are much more able to cope with disease than stressed trees. Keep trees stress free by applying 3-4 inches of mulch around the base (but keep the mulch off the trunk), watering during dry periods, and fertilizing moderately. Since shady moist conditions favor the development of this disease, avoid overhead irrigation and plant trees in sunny locations when possible. It is also advisable to avoid fertilizers with high nitrogen content as this promotes the rapid growth of succulent shoots that are extremely susceptible to disease. Avoid mechanical damage to any part of the tree especially by mowers or other equipment. Keep the inoculum levels low by raking and removing leaves in the fall, pruning diseased branches, and pulling adherent dead leaves from the tree. Prune any water sprouts that grow from the trunk. If possible, prune during dry, hot weather and disinfect the pruners blades in a solution of 70 percent rubbing alcohol between cuts.

Fungicides should be used only to supplement a cultural control program. Applications of chlorothalonil, mancozeb will protect against leaf infections. Apply 3 or 4 sprays during leaf expansion in the spring, at 10-14 day intervals. If conditions are favorable for disease development later in the growing season, additional fungicide applications may be beneficial.



Here is a good site that gives ID and control of dogwood anthracnose.
http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_dogwd/ht_dog.htm