
What zones do dogwood trees grow best in?
Dogwoods can be positioned in full sun in USDA zones 5-6, but part shade is best in USDA zones 7-10. A location that gets morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal. (Recall that wild dogwoods grow in the partial shade of the forest understory.)
Can dogwood trees survive winter?
Winter Hardiness Flowering dogwoods are hardy from U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 6A through 9B. However, dogwood specimens from southern states that are sold in the cooler north are often less hardy and flower less than specimens that remain in their native climate.
What states do dogwood trees grow in?
As well as growing throughout the eastern states from New England to Florida, its range extends west through southern Michigan and the eastern and southern edges of Illinois, Missouri, and eastern Oklahoma and Texas.
What does a dogwood tree look like in winter?
In addition to this, the leaves turn to red or deep crimson-purple. Then in the winter, like all trees, the leaves drop. The beauty of the trees remains, however, as its bark looks scale-like and its horizontal branches look graceful. Some of the berries may stay on the tree for some time during the winter.
Which is the hardiest dogwood tree?
The pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is native to much of eastern North America and grows in USDA zones 3 to 7, making it the most cold hardy dogwood tree.
Do dogwood trees freeze?
Dogwoods thrive in many areas of the central and eastern United States. These trees prefer moderate climates and may suffer in areas with freezing temperatures. Dogwoods require protection during cold snaps and hard frosts.
What states do dogwood trees grow best?
Flowering dogwood grows best in moist soils, but will grow in drier habitats. They like to grow in the shade of larger trees as understory plants. Flowering dogwoods can be found in eastern deciduous forests as far north as Maine, extending west to eastern Texas and Missouri.
Are dogwoods hard to grow?
The showy part of a dogwood flower is actually bracts, which are modified leaves that turn color. The true flower parts in the center of the bracts are less showy. Dogwoods are not difficult to grow if they are located in the proper site and if healthy trees are purchased and planted properly.
How many years does it take for a Dogwood tree to grow?
Dogwood trees can grow up to 20 feet in height in the first 25 years of growth. Under the right conditions, mature dogwoods can reach a height of 40 feet. The foliage of dogwood trees has a rounded shape with a spread that is roughly proportional to the height of the tree.
What time of year do you plant dogwood trees?
The best time to plant white dogwoods is in the spring, when the soil is moist and before the tree growth begins. Choose a planting site that receives dappled shade. Pull any weeds and clear away any debris and turfgrass. Dig a hole that is roughly ⅔ the depth of the root ball.
Is dogwood a messy tree?
No, the flowering dogwood is not regarded as a messy tree.
How many years does it take for a dogwood to bloom?
Dogwoods set their flower buds in late summer. Sometimes it can take five to seven years before they mature enough to begin blooming. Once they begin, they should bloom annually. The amount of blooms can vary based on the amount of sunlight they receive and the weather conditions.
Will frost hurt dogwood trees?
These trees prone to late spring frost include apple trees, magnolia trees, dogwood trees, and flowering cherry trees.
Do dogwoods need to be wrapped in winter?
Plants that have thin bark, such as ash, flowering dogwood, linden, and maple often benefit from winter wrapping. How Does Wrapping Plants in Winter Protect Them? Wrapping plants for winter reduces the moisture lost from heavy winds and the glaring sun.
What is the average lifespan of a dogwood tree?
The average lifespan is 80 years. Flowering dogwood is rated hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 9. The growth rate is slow upon transplanting, gradually assuming a medium rate. Plant flowering dogwood grown from seed collected from trees indigenous to your local area.
How long does dogwood winter last?
Dogwood winters usually happen around late April or early May—right around the time the dogwood trees start blooming in many regions. Their cold weather can last anywhere from a few days up to a week and can be cold enough to bring heavy frost or snow.
What causes dogwood leaves to turn grey?
Dogwood powdery mildew has also become a recent major threat to Dogwoods. The mildew, which often causes a whitish-gray powdery film on leaves that are also contorted, is easily treatable with fungicides, such as horticulture oil.
Why do dogswoods have anthracnose?
Dogwood anthracnose is a disease caused by the fungus Discula destructiva. For this reason it can be beneficial to plant your Dogwood in late spring, when warm temperatures will kill the fungus, which thrives in cooler, wet weather. Dogwood powdery mildew has also become a recent major threat to Dogwoods.
Why is dogwood anthracnose important?
Dogwood anthracnose is a disease caused by the fungus Discula destructiva.
What is a dogwood tree?
The Dogwood Tree is a majestic ornamental, well adapted to life in the United States. As long as you offer the tree plenty of water and sunshine, like most plants, the Dogwood will do just fine. There are over 50 species within the Cornus, or Dogwood, genus. These species vary wildly, from shrubs to deciduous temperate trees and evergreens. One of the most common species, and the one about which you’ve most likely heard, is the Flowering Dogwood. The state tree of Virginia, the Flowering Dogwood has conspicuous white to light yellow flowers that offer magnificent blooms in spring. Other species can be quite different; for example, the Blackfruit Cornel, native to California, has small yellow-green blooms and a fruit which turns black when ripe, thus the name. Whatever your desire, there is a Dogwood to suit your needs.
What is the relationship between dogwood and property?
Choosing the right Dogwood for your property means considering what your location has to offer and for what you are looking. A symbiotic relationship, where both your Dogwood benefits from necessary water, sun, and nutrient supplies and you benefit from the best height, shade, and beauty of the Dogwood, is in everybody’s interests.
What type of soil do dogwoods like?
Soil – Plant in well-drained, moist soil that is not overly wet. Although adaptable to many soil types, Dogwoods prefer slightly acidic loam.
What is the most common tree in Virginia?
One of the most common species, and the one about which you’ve most likely heard, is the Flowering Dogwood. The state tree of Virginia, the Flowering Dogwood has conspicuous white to light yellow flowers that offer magnificent blooms in spring. Other species can be quite different; for example, the Blackfruit Cornel, native to California, ...
What is June Snow Dogwood?
June Snow dogwood: A Front Range-friendly dogwood that comes highly rated by CSU and Plant Select guru Jim Klett. Flowers later in the season to avoid spring frosts. Look for orange-red or purple-red foliage in fall. Seven Sons flower: This is a fall-blooming small tree or large shrub.
What trees did Epstein discover?
Epstein champions a wealth of trees for the Front Range, from cherry trees to oaks to a tree he discovered, the Hot Wings Tatarian maple. Ord’s list of Colorado-loving trees includes elms and a Kentucky coffee tree. They both came up with lists of their favorite Front Range trees.
What is a Seven Son flower tree?
Far left, Seven Son flower tree is a fall-blooming small tree or large shrub. Multiseason interest from shedding bark, fall blooms and the pright pink to red calyxes that follow.
What is a Crimson Spire oak?
Crimson Spire oak: This columnar oak gets very high marks from the folks at CSU too. Nice for smaller yards or for use as a screening plant and tough enough to handle a wide range of planting conditions. Gives red fall color.
How old is Limber Pine in Colorado?
Specimens of this tree are found in places as diverse as Pikes Peak and Pawnee Buttes. Some Colorado specimens are older than 1,000 years , including one in South Park reportedly more than 1,700 years old.
What temperature does a chinook wind turn into a blizzard?
A good place to begin is choosing trees that appreciate the area — trees that do not quit when a chinook wind roars at 90 mph, or when a 60-degree afternoon turns into a 15-degree blizzard that night.
How tall does honey crisp grow?
Honey Crisp: Sweet and juicy fruit comes from a tree that tops out at about 12 feet. Growers brag that it’s hardy to minus 40 degrees. Needs a pollinator, so buy two if you don’t live in a neighborhood where there are other apple trees.
How big is a wedding cake dogwood tree?
This type of wedding cake dogwood tree is also typically around ten to twenty feet smaller than the standard wedding cake dogwood. The foliage of these trees is ovate, and each leaf can measure between three and six inches long. They are ordinarily dark green but fade to yellow-orange in the fall before dropping.
Where is the Cornus kousa tree native to?
Cultivars and Varieties: Cornus kousa ‘Miss Satomi’, Cornus kousa’ China Girl’, Cornus kousa’ White Fountain’. This tree is native to parts of Asia, including China and Japan, and is accordingly also known as Chinese dogwood and Japanese dogwood. It has also become naturalized in the state of New York.
Where is Kousa dogwood native to?
Kousa Dogwood. Cultivars and Varieties: Cornus kousa ‘Miss Satomi’, Cornus kousa’ China Girl’, Cornus kousa’ White Fountain’. This tree is native to parts of Asia, including China and Japan, and is accordingly also known as Chinese dogwood and Japanese dogwood. It has also become naturalized in the state of New York.
What is the color of a mountain moon?
Flower Color: White. Cultivars and Varieties: Cornus capitata ‘Mountain Moon’. This tree is native to the Himilayan mountains and is also known by the common name of Himalayan dogwood. It has become naturalized in parts of Australia, including the states of Victoria and New South Wales.
What is the flower of a dogwood tree?
What appears to be the flower of the dogwood is actually a series of four bracts, which surround the actual, tiny yellow flowers of the tree. They are not self-pollinating, and another tree, preferably of a different cultivar, is needed to produce the tree’s fruit, which ripens and falls to the ground in the fall.
What are the seasons of dogwoods?
One of the most classic landscape trees, dogwoods add grace and presence to any yard they inhabit. Even better, they offer four seasons of beauty: showy pink or white flowers in the spring, a full canopy in the summer, fiery bright leaves in autumn, and, for some varieties, interesting bark patterns that light up the winter garden.
What is a wedding cake dogwood?
This is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree that is native to Asia. It is commonly known as the wedding cake dogwood because of the way its horizontal branches are layered on top of each other to resemble the look of a tiered wedding cake. The most popular example of this tree is the 'Variegata' cultivar, which has green leaves with creamy white margins. This type of wedding cake dogwood tree is also typically around ten to twenty feet smaller than the standard wedding cake dogwood. The foliage of these trees is ovate, and each leaf can measure between three and six inches long. They are ordinarily dark green but fade to yellow-orange in the fall before dropping.

Dogwood Tree History & Facts
Optimal Growing Conditions
- Dogwoods may struggle to adjust to changes in water and nutritional content. Dogwoods thrive in dappled shade, where bigger shade trees provide protection from the sun's direct beams. Look around your property for places where your new Dogwood can be shaded from the sun. Alternatively, you can plant the Dogwood in an area where a nearby building provides shade. Ho…
Planting Dogwood Trees
- You can have a short, robust bush or a 25-foot-tall tree depending on the Dogwood species you plant. The tree grows at a medium rate, between 13 and 24 inches each year. A mature Dogwood tree, such as the Flowering Dogwood, can reach 40 feet in height if properly cared for. When planting a Dogwood Tree, follow these steps: 1. Plant dogwoods in the ...
Pruning, Care, and Maintenance
- The amount of care required varies depending on the tree species. Dogwood trees prefer a somewhat acidic, well-drained soil. Many dogwood species have acclimated to or prefer part shade, especially in the hot afternoon heat, because they are understory trees. Keep your dogor pet away from your new dogwood tree.
Common Pests & Diseases
- The Dogwood Tree is vulnerable to fungus and pest infestations, which is why purchasing a seedling from an arborist rather than transplanting the tree from the wild is recommended. Anthracnose is a disease caused by the fungus. Planting your Dogwood in late spring, when temperatures are warm, will kill any fungus, which flourishes in cooler, wetter weather. Dogwoo…
Conclusion
- Dogwood trees are blossoming beauties that put on a display all year long. They dazzle in the spring with white bracts and blooms, in the summer with glossy green leaves, in the fall with scarlet berries, and in the winter with their textured bark. Flowering dogwoods come in a variety of colors, from white to pink to red, and bloom for two to four weeks in early spring. They also add …