Why has my Dogwood not developed many flowers this year?
Question:
The leaves of our three-year-old dogwood are lighter than they have been and the tree developed far few flowers this year. Is there something we should do for it?
Answer:
A lot of flowering trees in Maine this year were seriously hit by the relatively warm winter followed by the brutal cold snaps in February and April, killing off many of the flower buds that had begun to emerge early. A couple of related articles on the topic:
The light leaves may be an indicator of a stressed plant, possibly from a very wet spring and early summer. However, they may also be an early indicator of dogwood crown canker, as detailed in this Cornell Univ Extension article, so you may want to scout the base of your trunk for indications of the disease. If the plant looks generally healthy, I would be less concerned, but do keep an eye on it and reach back out if it seems to be deteriorating or begins to lose leaves.