Pest identification
What's eating my red twig dogwood 'arctic fire'?
Dogwood Scale
Signs: Gray-white encrustations on the red stems, dulling winter color and causing stem dieback
Control: Horticultural oil spray in late winter; prune out and destroy the oldest stems annually (coppicing also removes scale)
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on young shoot tips in spring; sticky honeydew and leaf curl
Control: Insecticidal soap or neem oil; natural predators usually control outbreaks by mid-summer
Dogwood Sawfly (Macremphytus tarsatus)
Signs: Cream-colored larvae with black spots skeletonize or fully consume leaves from mid-summer
Control: Hand-pick larvae; insecticidal soap or spinosad for larger infestations
Deer
Signs: Stems and buds browsed in winter, removing the ornamental red growth
Control: Deer repellent applied to stems in autumn; fencing for young plantings
Keep red twig dogwood 'arctic fire' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats red osier dogwood — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common red twig dogwood 'arctic fire' problems & fixes
- Red Twig Dogwood 'Arctic Fire' watering schedule
- Red Twig Dogwood 'Arctic Fire' light requirements
- Full red twig dogwood 'arctic fire' care guide
Red Twig Dogwood 'Arctic Fire' pests — FAQ
What is eating my red twig dogwood 'arctic fire'?
'Arctic Fire' Red Twig Dogwood is a compact shrub prone to scale insects on its colorful stems and aphid outbreaks in spring. Sawfly larvae can strip leaves by summer. Deer browse the stems freely in winter. Scale on the ornamental red bark is the most disfiguring problem, undermining the plant's core winter appeal.
How do I get rid of dogwood scale on red twig dogwood 'arctic fire'?
Gray-white encrustations on the red stems, dulling winter color and causing stem dieback Horticultural oil spray in late winter; prune out and destroy the oldest stems annually (coppicing also removes scale)
How do I get rid of aphids on red twig dogwood 'arctic fire'?
Dense colonies on young shoot tips in spring; sticky honeydew and leaf curl Insecticidal soap or neem oil; natural predators usually control outbreaks by mid-summer
How do I get rid of dogwood sawfly (macremphytus tarsatus) on red twig dogwood 'arctic fire'?
Cream-colored larvae with black spots skeletonize or fully consume leaves from mid-summer Hand-pick larvae; insecticidal soap or spinosad for larger infestations
How do I get rid of deer on red twig dogwood 'arctic fire'?
Stems and buds browsed in winter, removing the ornamental red growth Deer repellent applied to stems in autumn; fencing for young plantings