Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Dogwood anthracnose, with the frightening name Discula distructiva, was first identified in north eastern forests in 1978. This disease has now has caused the death of over fifty percent of those trees growing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a huge hit for wildlife as dogwood fruits were a major part of the mast supply. Mast is the fruits and seeds of woody trees and shrubs that birds and mammals use for food. This disease has since spread across the entire Appalachian Mountain region and caused the death of over half of dogwoods there and accompanying loss of food for wildlife. It is especially prevalent at elevations 3000 feet and higher when cool, wet springs follow years of drought, and in trees growing thickly together in dense shade. Trees at elevations below 2000 feet are usually not infected so most of South Carolina is spared.
Dogwood Anthracnose
