What's eating my siberian dogwood?

Siberian dogwood, a cultivar of Cornus alba, faces the same pest pressures as the species: dogwood borer is the most damaging, tunneling into canes and causing dieback. Scale and aphids reduce plant vigour. The bright red winter stems attract rabbits that gnaw bark during cold months.

Larval tunneling under bark produces oozing sap and frass; infested canes yellow, wilt, and die back Cut out dead or dying canes to the base; apply permethrin bark spray in late spring; avoid mechanical damage to stems

Waxy or shell-like deposits on bark; canes lose vigour and winter stem colour fades in heavily infested plants Prune infested canes; treat remaining stems with dormant horticultural oil spray before growth resumes in spring

Bark stripping and girdling of red stems in winter; young plants can be killed if the stem is fully girdled Use wire mesh stem guards from autumn; apply repellent sprays; stool (cut to the ground) plants annually to remove gnawed material and promote healthy new growth