Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Feel the soil two inches deep to check for moisture.
- Inspect the leaves for signs of fungal spots.
- Check if you have applied fertilizer recently.
Likely causes
Drought stress
PossibleHow to tell: The edges of the leaves turn dry and brittle during hot, dry summer spells. The soil around the base will feel dusty and dry to the touch.
What to do: Water the tree deeply once every 7 to 14 days during dry periods. Apply 5 to 10 gallons of water slowly at the base to ensure it reaches the deep roots.
Salt buildup
PossibleHow to tell: Brown tips appear even when the soil feels damp, often after heavy fertilization. You might see a white crust on the soil surface.
What to do: Flush the soil by watering heavily with a garden hose for several minutes to wash away excess salts. Stop fertilizing until the tree shows signs of new, healthy growth.
Find out what's wrong with your kousa dogwood
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
Worry if the browning spreads inward to the leaf veins or causes entire branches to die back. Minor tip browning during a heatwave is often just a temporary reaction.
Stopping it coming back
Maintain a 2 to 3 inch layer of organic mulch around the base to keep the soil cool and moist.
Kousa dogwood: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your kousa dogwood and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
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Questions people ask
- Should I trim off the brown tips?
- You can trim them for looks, but it is not necessary for the health of the tree. Use clean, sharp shears and cut just outside the green tissue.
- Does this mean my tree has a disease?
- Usually no, as brown tips are typically environmental. If you see spots with purple borders, that is more likely a fungal leaf spot, since Kousa dogwood is quite resistant to dogwood anthracnose.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Kousa dogwood
- Why does my Kousa dogwood have spots on its leaves?
- Why is my Kousa dogwood not producing flowers?
- Why are my Kousa dogwood leaves turning yellow?
- Why is my Kousa dogwood drooping?
- Why is my Kousa dogwood losing its leaves?
- Why are there bugs on my Kousa dogwood?
- Why is my Kousa dogwood looking sick at the roots?
- Why are my Kousa dogwood leaves curling?
Back to the Kousa dogwood guide
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.