The base of the trunk should be kept free from piled mulch and protected from lawn tool damage. How to fertilize a dogwood tree? A typical understory plant in forests and woodlands, Cornus sericea thrills with flaming red or yellow twigs. Choose easy-to-grow evergreen plants that will add texture and color to the garden from fall to spring. The bright-yellow, late-winter blooms of the Cornelian cherry ( Cornus mas) start off the year in a cheery way. Leaves rapidly follow the emergence of dogwood flowers, turning direct sun into dappled shade. and hybrids). It spreads slowly, but that keeps it easily managable. Though it boasts four-season interest—with fragrant flowers, tiny berries and showy foliage—the red twig dogwood saves its best for winter, when its stems are on fire. Although the fruit of flowering dogwood is edible, the flavour and texture is nothing  special; so it is better to leave them on the tree for ornamental value and the birds. Source: 100 years of Farm journal. This varied group of plants give great garden value. The Kousa Dogwood variety is native to China and Japan. Removal of too many of those roots can jeopardize the health of those trees, so adding underplantings should be limited. White Flowering Dogwood Tree – Kousa Pink Bareroot Dogwood. Both of the trees, the Dogwood & Magnolia have a multitude of shallow feeder roots that will have to be dealt with. ), hardy in zones 2 through 10, echo the green-cream colors of dogwood in bloom, while coral bells (Heuchera spp.) Shrubby Cornus alba , C. sericea and C. sanguinea are grown for their vivid winter stem colour, while shrubby C.mas (the cornelian cherry) is grown for its winter flowers and summer fruits. What to Plant Around a Flowering Dogwood Tree Dogwood Growing Conditions. Flowering Cornus (dogwood) trees are grown for their showy coloured bracts in late spring and early summer. The tree is often seen growing in a wooded area or as a focal point for a grouping of plants. Planting a flowering dogwood tree in your yard creates a beautiful year-round focal point. Red twig dogwood bushes are considered good plants for wet areas (for example, wet spots where homeowners may wish to establish woodland gardens), although some report that they perform better in well-drained soils. Also, it will help to schedule a routine for tracking the progress of your dogwood’s growth. A Treasured Winter Border Idea with Hellebores, Sedge and Dogwood Create splendid winter combinations like this one. The soil should be gently mounded around the sides of the root ball. ), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), golden creeping jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea') or astilbe (Astilbe spp. Dec 21, 2014 - What to Plant Around a Flowering Dogwood Tree. Good shrub companions for partially shaded sites include golden privet (Ligustrum x vicaryi), azaleas (Rhododendron spp. Where to Plant a Tall Stewartia Tree in a Yard? Festooned with clusters of creamy white flowers, this tree is a popular choice in many Pacific Northwest coast gardens. It is sometimes referred to as the Chinese dogwood. Ground-cover plants hardy in the same zones as dogwoods are too numerous to list. Somewhat acidic soil is preferred. Dogwoods grow best in soil that is slightly acidic. The wider the hole the better. Types: Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) Cornus kousa (kousa dogwood) Cornus alternifolia (pagoda dogwood) Cornus mas (cornelian cherry dogwood) Cornus nuttallii (mountain dogwood) Cornus controversa (giant dogwood) The botanical name is Cornus sericea Flaviramea. They can do well in sun or partial shade. For red twig dogwood plantings in partial shade, combine the shrubs with perennials such as primrose (Primula spp. Caring for potted dogwood trees in the winter is also tricky. Ground covers that spread via stolons or rhizomes, that is, growth stems close to or just under the soil, and varieties that form new plants at the end of leaf nodules can spread without taxing the needs of dogwood roots. Cornus need no real attention; plant and they will grow. It flowers a bit later on average than the Flowering Dogwood, and produces a slightly different berry. Product Links: 1 GL. New varieties of dogwood trees seldom hit the market because woody trees take so long to go from the point of breeding to introduction. Janet Beal has written for various websites, covering a variety of topics, including gardening, home, child development and cultural issues. To make your dogwood the centerpiece of a spring-blooming landscape, factor root needs and canopy shade into your plans. RHS Garden Hyde Hall Spring and Orchid Show, Free entry to RHS members at selected In adjoining areas that receive partial sun, day-lily (Hemerocallis), hardy in USDA zones 3 through10, and bearded iris (Iris Germanica), hardy in zones 4 through 9, provide weeks of summer blooms and attractive foilage without encroaching on soil needed by dogwood roots. Horticulturists note that most tree and shrub roots lie in the top 6 to 24 inches of the... Companion Plant Characteristics. Dogwoods are grown for their range of brightly coloured bark that looks at its best around Christmas and into the new year.They are vigorous, versatile shrubs that thrive in damper soils that are prone to waterlogging. The C. kousa is grown for its flowers in addition to its hardy, dependable nature. You can also plant this species in front of large, evergreen hedges as the taller backdrops embellish the eye-catching stem colours. How To Plant. The classic flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), hardy in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 5A through 9A, and Japanese Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa), hardy in zones 5 through 8, can bring seasonal beauty to your yard so long as their shared growing-condition needs are met. The plants need cold temperatures in order to go dormant during the winter. Fertilizer: If your garden soil is poorly drained, lacking in organic matter, or otherwise not all that great for dogwoods, it is crucial that you improve it. Again plant in a sunny spot for best color. Fully hardy, it prefers full sun to partial shade in moderately fertile soil. Vines and Ground Covers The dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla) is a good companion vine for the red twig dogwood and grows in plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. If dogwood diseases occur in your area, then consider using disease-resistant dogwoods. Planting a flowering dogwood tree in your yard creates a beautiful year-round focal point. If possible, select plants with shallow root systems, such as Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Ferns, etc. In spring, alongside Japanese maples and evergreen trees, they are perfect companions to rhododendrons and azaleas. Shallow-rooted, dogwoods need particular consideration when you are choosing plants to put around them. Soil Preparation for Dogwood Trees. How to grow flowering dogwood. The best time to plant dogwoods depends primarily on their kind and root condition. Many of the larger dogwoods are useful as specimen trees or for adding height and interest to the back of a mixed border. The glorious spring blooms of a dogwood encourage surrounding the tree with spring-blooming bulbs and flowering shrubs. Dogwood tree facts. 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. You may have seen Groundcover Dogwood before, it's very popular with home gardeners. Plan to position your dogwood-companion plantings outside this protective circle. Some dogwood shrubs are loosely spreading while others are more compact and suitable for borders or disguising some unwanted feature around the house. It also means you have a clump of lovely red coloured peas stick /small plant supports for the coming growing season. Water well to settle the surrounding ground around the rootball. Within or outside the shade canopy, variegated varieties of plantain lily (Hosta spp. Numerous species and cultivars exist, with many native to the United States. However dogwood also makes a fantastic wildlife shrub and can be grown into a hedge alongside other wildlife-friendly plants such as hawthorn and hazel. Then there are the small dogwood trees whose graceful shapes and stunning flowers could mix with other plants or stand alone. It flowers a bit later on average than the Flowering Dogwood, and produces a slightly different berry. All are great for mixing with other plants. Removal of too many of those roots can jeopardize the health of those trees, so adding underplantings should be limited. Clemson University Extension: Landscaping Over Septic Drain Field, Gilbert H. Wildreth & Son: Basic Guide to the Cultivation of Daylilies, Iris, Lilies and Hostas, Bloomin Design Nursery: Stepping Stone Perennial Plants. You can test the soil's acidity in several, simple ways. 020 3176 5800 The attractive C. kousa is native to Japan, China, Korea and Taiwan.. All the information you’ll need to grow & care for flowering dogwood in your garden. Avoid placing fast-growing or rapidly-spreading woody shrubs close to the dripline, so that necessary digging and root growth do not damage delicate dogwood roots. One of our favourite deciduous trees in our garden is the Cornus kousa dogwood. If you live in an area that has larger animals such as deer you will need to use larger wire guards. Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida) One of the most popular of all flowering trees is the flowering … Caring for potted dogwood trees in the winter is also tricky. Plants that respect the root growth needs of dogwoods are shallow-rooted themselves, to avoid competing for moisture and soil nutrients. Join the RHS today and support our charitable work, Keep track of your plants with reminders & care tips – all to help you grow successfully, For the latest on RHS Shows in 2020 and 2021, read more, RHS members get free access to RHS Gardens, Free entry to RHS members at selected times », Reduced prices on RHS Garden courses and workshops, Our Garden Centres and online shops are packed with unique and thoughtful gifts and decorations to make your Christmas sparkle, General enquiries Print. Use foliage plants to highlight the texture and subtle colors of dogwood foliage. Planting a tree too deeply, covering roots with extra soil or paving, allowing heavy foot traffic or planting close to the trunk all can affect the function of essential roots and seriously damage trees. Alabama Cooperative Extension Servic: Why Are the Dogwood Trees in My Yard Dying? These trees and large shrubs produce bountiful, long-lasting displays of elegant spring blooms, usually white or tinged with pink. How Far Apart Should I Plant My Tuscarora Crepe Myrtles? Product Links: 1 GL. The Cornus kousa (Korean Dogwood or just Kousa) tree is more resistant to diseases that plague other dogwoods.It thrives in zones 5-9. Also, it will help to schedule a routine for tracking the progress of your dogwood’s growth. The best time to plant Dogwood trees is in the early fall or spring. Cover the area with a thick layer of natural tree leaf mulch to protect roots and "feed" the soil, and water deeply but not too often the first summer. Flowering will be poor in deep shade. Dogwood plants also make a great addition to a native hedgerow bringing added visual interest in the form of different shapes, textures and colour. Dogwood, Cornus sanguinea, is typically grown for winter colour, when its red, leafless stems shine like beacons in the bare winter garden. Dogwood Hedging & Ornamental Shrubs. How To Plant. Red and Common dogwood are the cheapest and best for hedging. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is one of the most popular small trees for the eastern United States. Brighter colours are emitted by … These perennials, annuals, shrubs, and trees grow best in the shade. What to Plant Around a Flowering Dogwood Tree - Plants that respect the root growth needs of dogwoods are shallow-rooted themselves, to avoid competing for moisture and soil nutrients. Place them around the base of the plants to help deter eager critters from damaging your tree. Place native soil removed from planting hole around the perimeter of the hole, in a wheel barrow, or on a tarp. It is a good idea to have your soil tested to determine if it is lacking in any essential minerals and nutrients. If you want an even more exciting and wild looking dogwood feature, we suggest mixing up a few different breeds to get a nice mix of reds, oranges, yellows and darker colours for contrast: Ornamental Dogwood Varieties Listed by … Lawn & Garden; 14 Best Plants for Under Trees Gardening on the dark side is a cinch when you start with the right plants. Place the plant into the hole, filling in with soil so that it is at the same depth as was in the pot. One good strategy to protect roots and trunk is to create a circle of mulch 2 to 3 inches deep with a radius of 3 feet, at minimum, and preferably as wide as the full branch canopy. The dogwoods have arrived with material around the roots to keep them moist. Even within that context, dogwood is described consistently as shallow-rooted, susceptible to dryness and root damage. Planting a flowering dogwood tree in your yard creates a beautiful year-round focal point. If possible, select plants with shallow root systems, such as Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Ferns, etc. A dogwood should be planted about two-thirds the depth of its root ball. 222879/SC038262. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Red Twig Dogwood: A Field Guide. Bare root and burlap dogwood trees should be transplanted in late fall or early spring. If you live in an area that has larger animals such as deer you will need to use larger wire guards. The plants need cold temperatures in order to go dormant during the winter. Horticulturists note that most tree and shrub roots lie in the top 6 to 24 inches of the ground. Planting a flowering dogwood tree in your yard creates a beautiful year-round focal point. The Kousa Dogwood variety is native to China and Japan. Place them around the base of the plants to help deter eager critters from damaging your tree. Ghost bramble is quite a grown-up plant, generally cultivated by people who know … To keep the stems in really good colour, Dogwoods do best if cut back almost to the ground in March which looks savage at the time, but they quickly grow back. The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. Choose a kind of dogwood that is adapted to your climate and suitable for your landscaping use. All are hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8. The yellow twig dogwood looks great if mixed with the red twigged dogwood. offer a broad spectrum of foliage colors that foreshadow the browns, purples and reds of dogwood leaves in autumn. Piotr Kaźmierczak / Getty Images Lily of the valley is a tough little plant with a sweet spring fragrance.The tiny bell-shaped flowers look like they belong in a fairy's landscape, but Convallaria majalis is a formidable ground cover that can quickly fill in any blank spot in the garden, including the thin, hard soil under established trees. The elegant wedding-cake trees ( Cornus controversa and Cornus alternifolia) have horizontal branches in tiers adorned with … ), hardy in zones 3 through 9, are very different examples of shallow-rooted, moderate growth rate ground covers that can be used to border the mulch ring around your dogwood. Furthermore, dogwood is susceptible to diseases entering through damaged bark. May 29, 2018 - What to Plant Around a Flowering Dogwood Tree. Choose moist, rich, and well-drained soil to grow the seeds. That just gives fantastic color to your garden during the dull winter months. It does what all ground covers do—it makes an area easy to maintain by providing a lush carpet low across the ground. Additional shallow-rooted perennials can bring color to your yard when dogwood flowers are gone. Dogwoods grow in most soils, though flowering types prefer neutral to acid soil. In direct proximity to the protective mulch circle, use plants that require no more than 4 inches of soil depth. Japanese Dogwood They can be underplanted with spring-flowering bulbs or used as part of a mixed wildlife-friendly hedge. Step 1. You can plant a single variety of dogwood and it will look great. Dogwood Planting Instructions. Some of the tree and shrub dogwoods (Cornus kousa) have a graceful spreading habit, which provides sweeping branches of eye-catching white or pink flower bracts. Dogwoods are a diverse group, however, so ornamental traits and practical traits (such as summer-heat tolerance, hardiness, and bloom time) are being worked on to create new and better plants. Work humus into the soil for nutrients. Seek out varieties described as having moderate rather than rapid growth. It looks fantastic when planted with evergreen shrubs, and among spring flowers. Plant bulbs beyond the dripline and areas shaded by your tree to assure they get enough sun and do not disturb tree roots. Her work has appeared on early childhood education and consumer education websites. Mon – Fri | 9am – 5pm, Join the RHS today and support our charity. Both of the trees, the Dogwood & Magnolia have a multitude of shallow feeder roots that will have to be dealt with. If you want to bring it inside, it’s best to put it somewhere protected but unheated, like a shed or a garage. In direct proximity to the protective mulch circle, use plants that require no more than 4 inches of soil depth. times, RHS Registered Charity no. Dogwoods adapt to being planted under other larger trees or in full sun. Cornus canadensis makes an excellent groundcover with its creeping stems. However, as a native variety, it's also very winter harty and especially carefree. Caring for your new dogwood: Your new dogwoods are bareroot saplings, about 12 inches long, which require care before you plant them. Tree is often seen Growing in a sunny spot for best color,,... Tree in a wooded area or as a focal point for a grouping of plants give garden! 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Stewartia tree in your garden during the dull winter months have a multitude of shallow feeder roots that have! Rot is a Common problem with dogwood, and make the UK ’ leading... Soil should be transplanted in late fall or spring not disturb tree roots and make the UK ’ life. Deter eager critters from damaging your tree protective mulch circle, use plants require... Competing for moisture and soil nutrients have seen Groundcover dogwood before, it help! Position your dogwood-companion plantings outside this protective circle zones as dogwoods are too numerous to list easily. Those roots can jeopardize the health of those roots can jeopardize the health of those roots can jeopardize the of! ( Ligustrum x vicaryi ), cardinal flower ( Lobelia cardinalis ) azaleas... Yard creates a beautiful year-round focal point for a grouping of plants give great garden.... The best time to plant around a Flowering dogwood, and produces slightly... You may have seen Groundcover dogwood before, it 's very popular with gardeners... But firmly proximity to the United States yellow twigs on average than the Flowering dogwood tree in yard... The native soil – without overdoing it tree dogwood Growing Conditions for potted dogwood seldom., select plants with shallow root systems, such as deer you will to! That most tree and shrub roots lie in the top 6 to 24 inches of depth... The progress of your dogwood ’ s growth potted dogwood trees in garden... Planted with evergreen shrubs, and produces a slightly different berry, they are companions. Evergreen hedges as the Chinese dogwood a lush carpet low across the ground includes! With evergreen shrubs, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place emergence dogwood!