The winning answer is... No. The core book says that "Kindred offer a number of religious and occult theories for why wood has this power. Most Kindred simply accept it as a fact of life." It seems to be another case of, "Choose your own explanation that best fits your chronicle."

As for the powdered stake trick, I can think of another good reason it wouldn't work: the heart must be pierced by the stake. Tricking a vampire into drinking Vitae mixed with powdered wood and then invoking the Blush of Life wouldn't actually do anything unless your ST was being really generous.