Why is my dogwood’s bark cracking and leaves wilting?
The answer to question would depend if the Dogwood is native or a Kousa Dogwood. Therefore, we will give you two sets of answers:
- Japanese Dogwood (Kousa Dogwood)
The leaves may wilt if there is an excess or lack of water. The bark is very thin and could be damaged by the sun (check to see if the damage is on the south side of the tree). It may also be the damage from borers (they can be sprayed). - Native Dogwood
The wilting of the foliage would probably be from the Dogwood anthracnose. This is a leaf disease that would need treated in the spring. The bark on a native Dogwood will start to become "scaly" as the tree becomes older. This may give the appearance of some kind of disorder with the trunk.