I planted a young Cornus alternifolia this spring. It is about 2 feet tall, planted in sandy soil which I amended with composted manure and some peat moss at planting time, this spring. The root zone is covered with cedar mulch, starting about 2″ from the trunk. The exposure is sun/part shade and the little tree is watered, deeply, once a week. A few weeks ago I noticed that the leaves are turning paler but the veins remain a darker green. Could this be chlorosis? I have not seen this in dogwoods before. Do you have any suggestions, please, to restore this little tree to good health? I am very fond of it and would hate to lose it. Thank you!
After doing some research, it appears that flowering dogwoods such as yours can be susceptible to iron chlorosis. You don’t seem to be over watering. Have you given it any fertilizer or added nutrients? It may be a good idea to have the pH level of the soil tested as this condition is commonly seen in alkaline soils. You can read more about the causes and treatments for chlorosis in an article from the University of Washington State at the link below: