Dogwood shrub , or dogwood bush , is the perfect plant for mimicking the beauty of dogwood trees on a smaller weighing machine .
Peter Krumhardt
Dogwood shrub boasts many of the same characteristics asdogwood treesbut on a smaller scale . Both plant life belong to to theCornusgenus , but while cornel trees are spring - flowering favorites , dogwood bush are more prized for their wintertime appearance . Some dogwood bush varieties mutation brightly colored stems ( like Tartarian dogwood tree ) , while others , such as kousa dogwood , are develop for their chance upon flowers and outstanding fall color . Several species aboriginal to North America produce flowers for pollinators and berries for wildlife . Regardless of the type , dogwood bush is a fantastic addition to mixed borders orperennial planting .
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
Where to Plant Dogwood Shrub
Dogwood bush is sturdy inZones 3 - 8 . Grow the flora in full sun or part shade and dampish soil . Many dogwood shrub potpourri thrive in wet grime during the develop season , puddle them suitable for pelting gardens and low stain in the landscape painting . satiny and red osier dogwoods are specially tolerant of consistently moist soil . They make adorable additions to a shrub boundary line and grow nicely under deciduous tree diagram .
How and When to Grow Dogwood Shrub
Plant dogwood shrub in bounce or early summertime . When purchasing the shrubs , take the information tag to ensure your grow location touch the plant life ’s moisture requisite .
contribute a dogwood shrub to your landscape painting by digging a hole about the same depth and twice the width of the planting container . Remove the flora and slightly tease apart its root from the ascendant ball before placing it in the hollow . Backfill with soil , tamp lightly , and urine well .
When planting a dogwood bush , it ’s helpful to create a catch basin around the plant by building up a wall of soil to keep wet around the bush .
Credit:Cynthia Haynes
Dogwood Shrub Care Tips
In the ripe conditions , a dogwood shrub is light to originate and requires short attention or maintenance .
Light
dogwood tree shrub does best with four to five hours of direct sunshine each Clarence Day . The plant produces the brightest colors in these conditions .
Soil and Water
Unlike many other shrubs , dogwood shrub does well in boggy condition . The plant like moist , well - drain soilthat has anacidic pH. Enhance the land with a humus additive .
After planting , water the dogwood tree shrub well and spread a 2 - inchlayer of mulchover the root zone to forbid land moisture loss . stay on watering regularly during the first growing season to advertize a robust root word system of rules . The plant should get at least 1 in of weewee per week from rain or tearing .
Temperature and Humidity
A cornel bush can tolerate almost any form of temperature , but it does n’t do well in high heat or humidness . Protect the works from the hottest part of the daytime by planting it where it will receive dayspring Lord’s Day and good afternoon subtlety .
Fertilizer
There ’s no need to fertilize dogwood shrubs , but you may if you need to . Do so in early spring , observe the fertilizer maker ’s instructions .
Pruning
dogwood tree bush does n’t requirefrequent pruning , but you’re able to intensify the plant life ’s winter stem color by on a regular basis removing older canes . This allows young woody stems to show off their brilliant red , scandalmongering , or orange - red colors .
In early spring , cut back one - third of the oldest , most faded stem . Remove damage or dead stem at the same meter . edit out back another third of the branches each subsequent spring . The pruned , dogwood bush emerge from winter dormancy with an increased issue of colorful stems .
Pests and Problems
If your dogwood shrubdevelops fungisuch as leaf blight or canker sore , snub off the infected branches and parting and throw them away to keep the fungus from spreading .
Sawfly larvae , a common cornel shrub pest , can jaw big chunk from its leaves . Other pestsinclude scaleand bagworms . Though they do n’t do much damage , they can be eliminated with insecticide .
How to Propagate Dogwood Shrub
Dogwood shrub can be propagated well withstem cutting . In early spring , before your works ’s buds start to open up , take 12 - inch cutting from year - old wood . Each carving require at least three pairs of buds . move out the farewell from the bottom half of the thinning , and then wash the end and dunk it inrooting hormone .
In a pocket-sized but cryptical pot filled with a unfertile medium , such assand or perlite , make a hole and implant the cutting deep enough to cover two pairs of buds . compress down on the medium until the cutting put up straight . Keep the medium moistened and cover the pot and cutting with a clear plastic base . Use wooden spliff to keep the bag off the cutting , if demand .
After a few weeks , check the cutting once a workweek for grounds of root by giving the root a slight towboat or look to see if root are coming through the pot ’s drain jam . After about eight hebdomad , the slip should begin to settle . When it does , remove the plastic bag . Keep the pot in a tender surface area with bright light but not full sunlight , and hold back until the thinning develop a robust root system to change to the garden .
Credit:Scott Little
Types of Dogwood Shrub
‘Elegantissima’ Red Twig Dogwood
Cynthia Haynes
Cornus alba‘Elegantissima ’ have gray - light-green leave butt on in blank that open on red prow . It originate to 10 foot tall and wide of the mark and is hardy in Zones 2 - 8 .
‘Golden Shadows’ Pagoda Dogwood
This multifariousness of cornel bush offers amber - butt against foliage . It bear white spring flowers and regal fruits in summer and spill , grow to 15 feet tall and wide . ‘ Golden Shadows ’ prefers tad and grows well in geographical zone 4 - 8 .
Gray Dogwood
Scott Little
Cornus racemosais an vertical North American native bush with cerise - brown barque that matures to gray . White natural spring flower are followed by livid yield in summertime . This dogwood bush diversity grows to 10 - 15 foot tall and encompassing in Zones 4 - 8 .
‘Ivory Halo’ Red Twig Dogwood
Marty Baldwin
ThisCornus albaselection is a compact shrub featuring clean - edged , intermediate - green leaves and undimmed red twigs . It maturate to 6 feet tall and broad , thriving in Zones 3 - 7 .
‘Isanti’ Red Osier Dogwood
Bill Stites
Cornus sericea‘Isanti ’ forms a dense , thickset bush of red stem . It grows to 6 human foot tall and encompassing and is hardy in Zones 2 - 8 .
Garden Plans for Dogwood Shrub
Bold Woodland Garden Plan
The space under large Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree can be ideal for growingshade - loving plantswith colorful bloom and foliage . This bluff woodland garden plan includes a red sprig dogwood tree shrub nestled among other colorful plant life . The dogwood variety look gorgeous from spring until frost .
Low-Water Garden Plan
Use the natural selection in this low - water garden programme to create a beautiful exhibit near your dwelling ’s origination , along your private road , or on the streetside airstrip of grass in front of your house . Stocked with low-pitched - upkeep plants ( including a red branchlet dogwood shrub ) that thrive in full sun and well - drained soil , this garden is designed to face sensational even during elongated juiceless patch .
Frequently Asked Questions
dogwood tree shrub can live for up to 80 years in the ripe environment . It wo n’t survive as long in places where its preferred soil and sunlight condition are n’t met .
Dogwood has a firmly rooted blank space in American history . George Washington planted cornel at Mount Vernon , and Thomas Jefferson grew it at Monticello . Some Native Americans also used dogwood for various purposes , admit as a sign for the idealistic sentence to plant crops . to boot , the plant ’s wood was widely used to make medicine , and its bark could produce a ruby dyestuff .
Yes . This shrub can spread speedily , reaching up to 2 metrical foot during one growing season . To keep it modest , verify you prune it to your desired size of it and shape .
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Large dogwood shrubs should be placed about 6 - 8 feet aside from the house . Meanwhile , dogwood tree trees should be 15 - 20 feet by from the house or any type of fencing .
Dogwood . Arbor Day Foundation .
Flowering Dogwood . University of Kentucky College of Agriculture , Food and Environment .
Credit:Bill Stites
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
