M THE DAILY INSIGHT
// general

Where is the best place to plant dogwoods?

By James Craig

Where is the best place to plant dogwoods?

Selecting where to plant your dogwood: Choose a site for your dogwoods that is well-drained but does not get extremely dry. Soil high in organic matter is best. Dogwoods can be planted in full sun or partial shade, though partial shade is best (morning sun in particular).

What is the smallest dogwood bush?

A seriously small cultivar, the dwarf dogwood (Cornus canadensis) has many of the traits of a traditional dogwood although it’s not not actually a tree, but a ground cover. This 4- to 8-inch tall diminutive member of the Cornus genus is also known as “bunchberry, “bunchberry dogwood” and “Canadian dwarf cornel.”

What can I plant near dogwood?

Choose woodland-origin, shallow-rooted spring-blooming perennials, like cranesbill (Geranium maculatum), sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), dead nettle (Lamium maculatum) and astilbe (Astilbe x arendsii), rather than more aggressive woody shrubs to add more flowers when your dogwood is in bloom.

How long does it take for a dogwood to grow?

Growth Rate: Dogwoods grow at a slow to moderate rate (about 20 feet in 25 years). Ornamental Features: Each species brings its own value to the landscape. The “flowers” of the flowering dogwood and kousa dogwood are not actually flowers, but bracts, which are modified leaves that look like petals.

What kind of flower does a dogwood tree have?

Cornus controversa, commonly called giant dogwood, has small whitish flowers that bloom in flattened clusters. The cultivar ‘Variegata’ has variegated green and white leaves. Although the dogwood is a relatively small tree — its magnificent all-season beauty makes a big impact in the residential garden.

When is the best time to plant a dogwood tree?

Plant dogwoods in the spring, before tree growth starts and when the soil is moist. Where to plant: Native to the eastern U.S., the flowering dogwood thrives in both sun and shade, making it a great understory tree. Soil: Dogwoods do best in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil that contains organic matter. Planting tips:

How long does it take a dogwood tree to grow full size?

Dogwood trees grow quickly, with a fast rate of over a foot a year. A tree planted this year will reach full-size in about a decade. Flower color: White is the usual color of the dogwood’s petal-like bracts, but some are pink or even pale red, such as C. florida ‘Rubra’. Foliage:

What kind of birds eat dogwood in Virginia?

Thomas Jefferson planted dogwoods at Monticello in the late 1770s, which inspired Virginia lawmakers to select the American Dogwood as the state flower in 1918. At least 36 different species of birds feast on the dogwood’s fleshy red berries, including northern cardinals, tufted titmice, bluebirds, juncos, and waxwings.

Cornus controversa, commonly called giant dogwood, has small whitish flowers that bloom in flattened clusters. The cultivar ‘Variegata’ has variegated green and white leaves. Although the dogwood is a relatively small tree — its magnificent all-season beauty makes a big impact in the residential garden.

Plant dogwoods in the spring, before tree growth starts and when the soil is moist. Where to plant: Native to the eastern U.S., the flowering dogwood thrives in both sun and shade, making it a great understory tree. Soil: Dogwoods do best in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil that contains organic matter. Planting tips:

Dogwood trees grow quickly, with a fast rate of over a foot a year. A tree planted this year will reach full-size in about a decade. Flower color: White is the usual color of the dogwood’s petal-like bracts, but some are pink or even pale red, such as C. florida ‘Rubra’. Foliage:

Thomas Jefferson planted dogwoods at Monticello in the late 1770s, which inspired Virginia lawmakers to select the American Dogwood as the state flower in 1918. At least 36 different species of birds feast on the dogwood’s fleshy red berries, including northern cardinals, tufted titmice, bluebirds, juncos, and waxwings.