Dogwood shrub is the perfect plant for mimicking the beauty of dogwood trees on a smaller scale.
Peter Krumhardt
Dogwood shrubs boast many of the same characteristics asdogwood treesbut on a smaller scale.
Several species native to North America produce flowers for pollinators and berries for wildlife.
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
Regardless of the punch in, dogwood shrub is a fantastic addition to mixed borders orperennial plantings.
Where to Plant Dogwood Shrub
Dogwood shrub is hardy inZones 3-8.
Grow the plant in full sun or part shade and moist soil.
Credit:Cynthia Haynes
Silky and red osier dogwoods are especially tolerant of consistently moist soil.
They make lovely additions to a shrub border and grow nicely under deciduous trees.
How and When to Grow Dogwood Shrub
Plant dogwood shrub in spring or early summer.
Credit:Scott Little
When purchasing the shrubs, read the information tag to ensure your growing location matches the plants moisture requirements.
Remove the plant and slightly loosen its roots from the root ball before placing it in the hole.
Backfill with soil, tamp lightly, and water well.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Light
Dogwood shrub does best with four to five hours of direct sunlight each day.
The plant produces the brightest colors in these conditions.
Soil and Water
Unlike many other shrubs, dogwood shrub does well in boggy conditions.
Credit:Bill Stites
The plant likes moist,well-drained soilthat has anacidic pH.
Enhance the soil with a humus additive.
Continue watering regularly during the first growing season to promote a robust root system.
The plant should get at least 1 inch of water per week from rain or watering.
Fertilizer
Theres no need to fertilize dogwood shrubs, but you might if you want to.
Do so in early spring, following the fertilizer manufacturers instructions.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
This allows young woody stems to show off their bright red, yellow, or orange-red colors.
In early spring, cut back one-third of the oldest, most faded stems.
Remove damaged or dead stems at the same time.
Cut back another third of the branches each subsequent spring.
The pruned, dogwood shrub emerges from winter dormancy with an increased number of colorful stems.
Sawfly larvae, a common dogwood shrub pest, can chew big chunks from its leaves.
Other pests includescaleand bagworms.
Though they dont do much damage, they can be eliminated with insecticide.
How to Propagate Dogwood Shrub
Dogwood shrub can be propagated easily withstem cuttings.
In early spring, before your plants buds start to open, take 12-inch cuttings from year-old wood.
Each cutting needs at least three pairs of buds.
Press down on the medium until the cutting stands straight.
Keep the medium moistened and cover the pot and cutting with a clear plastic bag.
Use wooden sticks to keep the bag off the cutting, if needed.
After about eight weeks, the cutting should begin to root.
When it does, remove the plastic bag.
It grows to 10 feet tall and wide and is hardy in Zones 2-8.
Golden Shadows Pagoda Dogwood
This variety of dogwood shrub offers gold-edged leaves.
Golden Shadows prefers shade and grows well in Zones 4-8.
White spring flowers are followed by white fruit in summer.
This dogwood shrub variety grows to 10-15 feet tall and wide in Zones 4-8.
It grows to 6 feet tall and wide, thriving in Zones 3-7.
Isanti Red Osier Dogwood
Bill Stites
Cornus sericeaIsanti forms a dense, compact shrub of red stems.
It grows to 6 feet tall and wide and is hardy in Zones 2-8.
This bold woodland garden plan includes a red twig dogwood shrub nestled among other colorful plants.
The dogwood variety looks gorgeous from spring until frost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dogwood shrub can live for up to 80 years in the right environment.
It wont survive as long in places where its preferred soil and sunlight conditions arent met.
Dogwood has a firmly rooted place in American history.
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
