Their message is that well-maintained landscape trees are far less vulnerable to the disease than woodland trees. Research has shown that care and cultural practices are critical to the health of dogwood and its resistance to the disease. Trees do much better in sunny areas with good air circulation and good drainage. Sufficient water, nutrients, and absence of mechanical injury also contribute significantly to tree health. Pruning of epicormic sprouts and raking of dead, fallen leaves helps eliminate fungal spores that spread the disease.
Future research is needed to address more precisely the conditions that contribute to health.
It is not known how spores infect the trees or why certain native trees show some resistance. Despite heavy losses to the dogwood resource, it appears that the flowering dogwood will continue to be a part of our eastern forests and landscapes. Butternut Canker Butternut canker is causing decline and mortality throughout the butternut's Ohio range. In an attempt to protect the remaining resource and its potential genetic resistance to the disease, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry developed and implemented a butternut management policy in 1994. The policy requires retention of healthy butternut trees on State forest lands.