Pest identification
What's eating my cornelian cherry 'elegant'?
Birds
Signs: Ripe drupes taken by thrushes and blackbirds; crop loss can be significant on small plants.
Control: Net individual plants from colour change; harvest promptly as fruit softens.
Scale insects (Parthenolecanium corni)
Signs: Crusty brown bumps on branches; sticky honeydew; weakened or stunted shoots.
Control: Dormant horticultural oil spray before bud-burst; prune out heavily encrusted wood.
Dogwood borer (Synanthedon scitula)
Signs: Frass and sap at trunk entry holes; gradual branch dieback above borer entry.
Control: Keep trunk undamaged; prune out infested limbs well below the entry point; burn removed wood.
Keep cornelian cherry 'elegant' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats cornelian cherry dogwood — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common cornelian cherry 'elegant' problems & fixes
- Cornelian Cherry 'Elegant' watering schedule
- Cornelian Cherry 'Elegant' light requirements
- Full cornelian cherry 'elegant' care guide
Cornelian Cherry 'Elegant' pests — FAQ
What is eating my cornelian cherry 'elegant'?
Cornelian Cherry 'Elegant' shares the low pest burden typical of Cornus mas. Birds are the main competition for its elongated red fruit. Scale insects and dogwood borer can affect older or stressed plants. Deer occasionally browse foliage in winter. Overall, this is one of the easier fruiting shrubs to grow pest-free.
How do I get rid of birds on cornelian cherry 'elegant'?
Ripe drupes taken by thrushes and blackbirds; crop loss can be significant on small plants. Net individual plants from colour change; harvest promptly as fruit softens.
How do I get rid of scale insects (parthenolecanium corni) on cornelian cherry 'elegant'?
Crusty brown bumps on branches; sticky honeydew; weakened or stunted shoots. Dormant horticultural oil spray before bud-burst; prune out heavily encrusted wood.
How do I get rid of dogwood borer (synanthedon scitula) on cornelian cherry 'elegant'?
Frass and sap at trunk entry holes; gradual branch dieback above borer entry. Keep trunk undamaged; prune out infested limbs well below the entry point; burn removed wood.