Dogwoods
- Spectacular Fall color
- Four seasons of color and interest
- Manageable in size
- Ideal lawn tree and in groups
- Need little regular attention
- Exciting new varieties
Flowering dogwoods are among the most satisfying flowering trees. Their distinctive red, pink or white four petalled flowers cover a tree so completely in Spring that the trunk and branches are almost hidden. They never become huge, eventually reaching 20-30ft high and wide, suitable for smaller yards as well as larger landscapes. Birds enjoy the red fruits, Fall color is beautiful, and patterned bark is a Winter attraction on older specimens. A few types have variegated leaves, which creates a different Summer feature. Truly a four season tree.
Choose between the two - There are two main flowering dogwoods grown in our area: one native, the other from Asia.
Cornus florida (Flowering dogwood)
- Native to our area
- Flowers earlier
- Spectacular in flower
- Superb Fall color
- Grows best in ideal conditions
Cornus kousa (Asian dogwood, Korean dogwood)
- Flowers later
- Very colorful
- Superb Fall color
- More tolerant of imperfect conditions
- Disease resistant
Dogwoods like:
- Soil - Acid soil with high organic content keeps flowering dogwoods healthiest although some, especially C. kousa varieties, grow in less hospitable conditions. Dogwoods prefer well-drained soil, never waterlogged, and dislike winter road salt.
- Shade - Best in afternoon shade or continuous light shade; C. kousa will flower more in full sun if the soil is moist.
- Moisture - Even moisture is ideal; C. kousa is more drought-tolerant.
- Remember stressed plants are more likely to suffer from disease.
Where to grow dogwoods:
- Lawn tree - Perfect in front lawns, with branches sweeping gracefully down to the grass. Specimen reveal their elegant habit farther from the house where they can be admired from a distance.
- Focal points - Spring flowers and Fall foliage draw the eye in two distinct seasons.
- In large borders - Use as taller members of large mixed or shrub borders.
- Groups - In larger spaces, groups of three or five of one variety are truly dramatic, while a small differing collection gives a longer flowering period with more colors.
- Woodland gardens - Dogwoods are natural understory trees; flowers show up impressively against the shady background at a woodland edge.
- Containers - Small and slow-growing varieties are lovely in large planters.
Seasonal care
- No regular pruning is required.
- Spring - Mulch to help retain soil moisture in Summer.
- Summer - Water thoroughly in long dry spells.
- Fall - Ideal planting time: Smaller trees establish more quickly than large specimens but all may be slow growers.
Terrain’s Top Ten Dogwoods
Cornus florida:
- 'Appalachian Spring’
- 'Cloud Nine’
- 'Cherokee Brave’
- 'Cherokee Princess’
- 'Cherokee Sunset’
Cornus kousa:
- ‘Ben Fuji’
- ‘China Girl’
- ‘Gold Star’
- ‘Heartthrob’
- ‘Summer Fun’
Also look for new varieties that are hybrids between the two species and raised at Rutgers University. They are noted for prolific display and disease resistance. Look for the Stellar Series including Aurora, Celestial, Constellation, Ruth Ellen and Venus.
Did you know… There’s another group of dogwoods that are grown mainly for their colorful red, orange or yellow winter twigs.
Written by Graham Rice