Dogwood - Kousa Snowboy leaf discoloration

Question: For the second year, our newly planted Kousa Snowboy has leafed in with curling leaves and discoloration on almost all leaf clusters. It get good moisture and very little direct sunlight. It is in open shade 95% of the day with only direct sun in late afternoon. the photos show the leaf discoloration from the top side and bottom side. I did find some insect silk under just a few of the leaf clusters as shown in one photo. I did not detect any silk in a larger percentage of the leaf clusters, and nearly all leaf clusters show discoloration and curling. There are more photos if that would be helpful. 

Thanks!

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied May 23, 2023, 10:52 AM EDT
response: The leaf symptoms fortunately appear minor and resemble scorch, which is just physiological (as opposed to pest- or disease-caused) damage, likely from weather conditions or soil moisture fluctuations. It's good if the roots have stable access to moisture as dogwoods are not highly drought-tolerant (and our season to date has been drier than normal with periods of mild drought in much of MD). If you aren't already monitoring it for watering needs, just in case it's getting dry, feel the soil around six inches deep in the root zone and water well only if it's becoming somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. Dogwood leaf symptoms from over-watering or overly-wet soil often don't appear until the roots have been struggling for some time.  The silk is probably from a young or small spider and isn't a concern. The few silk-producing insect pests of dogwood don't appear this early in the season and would make a much more prominent silken "nests" from gregariously-feeding caterpillars, so would also be resulting in some defoliation. Dogwoods are vulnerable to a few leaf infections (more so the native species than the Kousa varieties) but this year most trees seem to have bypassed a significant infection event due to our drier spring weather. Even so, some leaf spotting could be due to comparatively minor fungal issues. A fungicide isn't warranted (nor can it cure any existing infection) and may risk harming pollinators or other organisms while also not guaranteed to work well, which is why we generally discourage their use. For now, just keep monitoring the tree for watering needs and feel free to send us updated photos if you notice worsening or different symptoms.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied May 23, 2023, 2:04 PM EDT
response: Hi Miri, Thanks so much for the detailed response! I will check the water level in the soil.Cheers,BillOn Tue, May 23, 2023 at 10:52 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied May 23, 2023, 4:44 PM EDT
response: You're welcome!