Flowering Dogwood
Cornus species (CORNACEAE)
Planting and Growing Dogwood Trees
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow flowering dogwood in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and fruit of flowering dogwood trees
- Growing conditions for flowering dogwood
- When to plant flowering dogwood
- How to plant flowering dogwood
- How to prune flowering dogwood
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of flowering dogwood
- Landscape uses of flowering dogwood
- Pest and disease control for flowering dogwood
Growing Dogwood Trees
About 45 species of fast-growing, spreading, shrublike deciduous or semi-deciduous trees, 10–60 ft. (3–18 m) tall, with shiny, bronze becoming deep green, oval leaves, 3–6 in. (75–150 mm) long, turning purple, deep red in autumn.
Commonly cultivated species include Tartarian dogwood, Cornus alba; alternate-leaved dogwood, Cornus alternifolia; silky dogwood, Cornus amomum; bunchberry, Cornus canadensis; evergreen dogwood, Cornus capitata; giant dogwood, Cornus controversa; flowering dogwood, Cornus florida; and red dogwood, Cornus stolonifera.
Dogwood Planting and Care Guide
Flowers and Fruit
Profuse, flowerlike, green, pink, white, 4-petaled bracts, 3–4 in. (75–100 mm) wide, in spring, form small, scarlet, berrylike fruit in autumn.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 4–10.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Rich. 6.0–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full sun to partial shade. Space 20–35 ft. (6–11 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep evenly moist. Fertilize in spring. Prune, thin in autumn to shape, control growth. Protect from heat in hot climates. Propagate by budding, cuttings.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, backgrounds in cottage, natural, woodland gardens. Fruit attracts birds. Borer and anthracnose, smog susceptible.