Bark peeling off Kousa Dogwood

Credit: iStockphoto

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Q: My Kousa Dogwood has peeling bark. It doesn’t look like pictures I’ve seen where the underneath layer is swollen or marked in any way. It looks like when a Sycamore peels. I observed tiny black bugs in similar size to a fruit fly-but it did not fly. I sprayed with Triple Action Plus (contains Neem oil) it is a mitacide, insecticide and fungicide.

Without additional information like some history or pictures, I am going to take a guess. Generally “Kousa Dogwood” (Cornus kousa) rarely encounters insect or disease problems. You may be observing a tree reaching maturity. Bark does become flaky in patches with layers described as “warm beige, tan and gray”. The insects could just be hanging around. I would need to see some pictures to say for sure.

It should be noted that neem oil is not a legally registered pesticide in Canada. I have seen it available as a leaf shine product. Therefore, I cannot recommend it despite the fact neem oil is readily available in the States as a pesticide.