The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Dogwood Variety for Your Garden

Dogwood trees are renowned for their beautiful blossoms, striking fall color, and graceful branch structure. If you desire a focal point in your front yard, create seasonal interest to a woodland garden, or offer a flowering tree in the lower region of your garden, the appropriate species of dogwood will transform your landscape. This article will assist you in learning about the various types of dogwood trees and varieties, choose the best tree for your garden conditions, and make it long-lasting.

Checking Your Site Conditions

Before you choose a dogwood, examine your planting location:

Light Exposure

A flowering dogwood (Cornus florida, Cornus kousa) does well in partial shade, morning sun and afternoon sun. Some species that have autumn color and are pleasing to the eye, like Cornus alba, can stand full sun in cooler temperatures.

Soil Type:

Dogwoods prefer well-draining and highly organic matter soil. Ensure your soil is not excessively clay or waterlogged, as this can cause root rot. Placing compost in the holes will improve drainage and provide nutrients.

Hardiness Zone:

Match the plants to your zone. For instance, Cornus florida thrives in zones 5–9, whereas more rugged Cornus kousa is in zones 5–8.

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

Key Features

• Bloom Time: Early to mid-spring (April–May)

• Bracts: Four fleshy, white, pink, or red bracts resemble flowers and enclose small actual flowers.

• Size: 15–30 ft tall, 15–30 ft wide

• Fall Color: Dark red to purple

Cultivar Highlights

• 'Appalachian Spring': Clean white, disease-free bracts.

• 'Rubra': Pale pink flowers, compact form ideal for small gardens.

Perfect as a specimen or beneath big deciduous trees, flowering dogwoods offer early nectar for pollinators and dramatic seasonal spectacle.

Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)

Key Features

• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May–June)

• Bracts: Resilient, star-shaped white or pink bracts.

• Fruit: Typical red, strawberry-tasting edible drupes in summer.

• Size: 15–25 ft tall, 15–20 ft wide

• Fall color: Burgundy to purple

Plant Highlights

• 'Milky Way': White, large flowers and tight habit.

• 'Satomi': Rosy-pink bracts, abundant bloom.

Kousa dogwoods are more resistant to disease than C. florida. They are thus an ideal choice for areas where dogwood anthracnose is prevalent.

Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii)

Native to the West Coast, Pacific dogwood possesses some special traits:

• Bloom Time: Spring, as with C. florida.

• Bracts: Larger than C. florida, white.

• Size: 20–40 ft high, 25–40 ft wide

• Fall Color: Orange to reddish purple

Most suitable for mountain or seaside gardens of climates 6–9, it needs shade and fertile, well-draining soils.

Cornelian Cherry Dogwood (Cornus mas)

A welcome surprise bonus arrives in late winter:

• Bloom Period: Late winter to early spring (February–March) before leaf emergence.

• Flowers: Small clusters of golden-yellow—an early source of nectar.

• Fruit: Red drupes eaten in the forms of jams and jellies

• Size: 15–25 ft tall, 15–25 ft wide

• Fall Color: Glossy green leaves turn burgundy during fall.

Cornus mas is suitable for small gardens, hedging, or fruit landscaping. Its winter blooms illuminate the bleak period.

Red-Stemmed and Variegated Dogwoods

Aside from flowering varieties, a few dogwoods stand out for winter or foliage interest:

Tatarian Dogwood (C. alba):

• Bright red or yellow bark on varieties like ‘Bailhalo’ and ‘Bailbright’ for striking winter stems.

Variegated Dogwood (C. alba 'Elegantissima'):

• Creamy-white leaf edges add summer interest.

Red Osier Dogwood (C. sericea):

• Red branches, white clusters of berries in the fall, dense growth for wildlife cover.

These plants thrive in mixed borders, wetland gardens, or as a fence.

Adjusting Tree Size and Type to Your Yard

Consider mature dimensions and growth habit: 

• Small Trees (below 15 ft tall): C. mas, compact varieties of C. florida ('Spring Glow').

• Medium trees (15–25 ft tall): C. kousa and most C. florida varieties.

• Large Trees (>25 ft tall): C. nuttallii, mature C. florida cultivars.

Space matters: give at least 2–3 ft between trunks and structures; on multi-stemmed plants, give enough air movement to reduce disease potential.

Disease and Pest Management

Common issues are:

• Anthracnose: Fungal leaf spot and dieback disease, particularly of C. florida. Outbreaks are prevented by resistant cultivars and proper air circulation.

• Powdery Mildew: White powder on the leaves, controlled by pruning lower branches and more sunlight.

• Borers and Scale: Regular inspections, pruning dead wood in a timely manner, and inviting beneficial insects can manage pests.

Spreading a 2–3-inch deep layer of organic mulch (shredded bark or wood chips) and keeping it several inches away from the trunk supports healthy roots and retains moisture.

Planting and Care Instructions

1. Planting Time: Early spring or fall when the soil temperature is moderate.

2. Planting Hole: Two times root ball width, shallow enough that the root flare is just at soil level.

3. Watering: Water deeply and regularly in the first two years; water the soil regularly after that.

4. Fertilization: Light application of slow-release, balanced early spring fertilizer. Avoid high-nitrogen products that promote foliage at the cost of flowers.

5. Pruning: Remove dead or crossing branches during winter; little pruning at other times to keep natural shape.

Why Choose Pixies Gardens for Your Dogwood

We at Pixies Gardens specialize in healthy, greenhouse-grown dogwood seedlings shipped directly to your door. Our trees are:

Nursery-Certified:

• Raised under rigid standards of quality.

Range of Options:

• From classic Cornus florida to distinctive Pacific dogwoods and ornamental stemmed types.

Expert Advice:

• Our garden experts can assist you in selecting the most suitable variety for your area, location, and design plan.

Shop our online catalog to select your ideal dogwood, or get in touch with us for custom planting advice.

Conclusion

• Choosing the right dogwood cultivar involves reconciling bloom time, disease resistance, mature size, and site requirements. If your dream is early spring yellow blooms on Cornus mas, the late spring display of Kousa dogwood, or winter interest on Tatarian dogwood twigs, Pixies Gardens has the ideal specimen to enhance your landscape. With proper planting, watering, and care, your dogwood will be rewarding you for decades of seasonal beauty and ecological significance. Visit http://pixiesgardens.com/ today and start fresh with dogwood!