Dogwood

The beloved flowering dogwood is just one of many dogwood types, some native to the U.S.

About This Plant

Most common: Cornus florida, flowering tree 20–40 feet tall/wide. Colors: pink, red, rose, white. Susceptible to insects/diseases—choose resistant varieties or plant Kousa dogwood (C. kousa) instead. Shrub dogwoods 6–20 feet; groundcover form 3–9 inches. Some have colorful bark (yellow, red, orange) for winter interest. Bloom early spring to midsummer. Many produce ornamental fruits for birds. Hardiness varies—choose carefully.

Special Features

• Four-season interest

Site Selection

Full sun to light shade, moist, well-drained soil. Some prefer acidic soil.

Planting Instructions

Spring or fall. Space 6–20 feet per mature size. Hole as deep as rootball, 2–3x wide. Poor soil: amend removed soil with little compost; otherwise don't amend. Set tree, backfill halfway, firm, water. Finish backfill, water. Form soil berm at hole edge to hold water.

Care

Spring: compost to dripline + 2-inch mulch (away from trunk). Water if rainfall <1 inch/week. Little pruning once established. Late winter: remove dead/diseased/broken branches, light shaping.