Pacific Dogwood

A young Venus Dogwood in bloom. Stellar Pink Dogwood in bloom. Fall color in the Stellar Pink Dogwood.

Venus Dogwood Introduced about 8-10 years ago, from the great breeding program at Rutgers University. This tree looks and feels like our native Pacific Dogwood, which is one of its parents. When this tree came out, I immediately planted one. It was tall, and spindly, common to many young Dogwoods. Last year, its 7th season, the tree virtually looked like it was covered in large, white flying saucers.  It was amazing!! We sold every tree we had and 10 trees we didn’t have. The beauty of this tree in mid May, with its large and profuse flowers, has captivated many people, and it has won many awards already. The fall color is beautiful shades of orange and red. Expect the tree to reach 20ft x 20ft in 20 years, more in time. ​ Stellar Pink Dogwood Another great tree from Rutgers, with beautiful soft pink flowers so delicate, they look edible.  This is the tree for those looking for an Eastern Dogwood, without the disease issues. The flowers look especially nice sitting on the deep green foliage. Fall color is reds and oranges. Matures up to 20ft x 20ft. Starlight Dogwood A tree similar to Venus, differing with slightly smaller flowers, but just as pleasing and profuse.  Some customers, who have both, like Starlight even better.

Two Satomi Dogwoods in all their June glory.

Satomi Kousa Dogwood
This is a pink flowered form of the Kousa or Korean Dogwood. It is not new, but is worthy enough to be included in any great Dogwood discussion. This is a delicate, small, tree, with graceful, horizontal branches. The pink flowers are produced above the foliage in late May and sometimes bloom in early July. The late summer fruit, which looks like a large Raspberry, is subtle but very nice. Fall color are oranges and reds. This tree matures around 15 ft. 

Hyperion Dogwood flowers.

Hyperion Dogwood A recent Rutgers introduction with large white flowers, large red fruits, and beautiful fall colors of reds and oranges. The flowers are said to cover the tree, the fruit is large – like a strawberry, and abundant. I have been amazed at the flower production of the young trees I have seen so far. Matures up to to 20ft x 18ft.

Summer Gold Dogwood tree in early June.

Summer Gold coloring in Fall. Milky Way flowers in early June.

Summer Gold Dogwood I have fallen head over heels for this new Korean Dogwood and had to have one for my garden. It combines foliage, flowers, fruit, and fall color in a way few trees can. The foliage is bright, like sunglasses bright, and refuses to burn, even in the hot sun and heat of last summer. The white flowers take on pink hues as they age and contrast the foliage nicely. The late summer fruit is also beautiful, reddish-orange, and highly ornamental against the foliage. The fall foliage is a riot of different colors and ​tones–including pink! The tree is said to be small, reaching 8ft high and 5ft wide in 10 years. I love the variegated plants and think this form is going to be a winner. Milky Way Dogwood This is a selected form of Korean Dogwood with flowers as abundant as the stars in the sky. The flowers begin a chartreuse color in late May, then age to white, and finally take on pink hues. Generous red raspberry like fruits cover the tree in late summer. In Fall, the foliage color is orange tones. The tree has a beautiful rounded and tiered form, with cascading outer branches. Mature height is about 15-20ft high and wife. Sun or partial sun is best.

Some cultural notes about Dogwoods
Dogwood trees are slow growing, and slow to re-establish in your landscape. It takes time to re-grow their roots, especially since most are sold as field grown, ball and burlap trees. This means the trees have been root pruned, and will need some help recovering. Dogwoods prefer lots of compost mixed in to the native soil when planting.  They prefer a short, wide planting hole as opposed to a deep one.  Their roots are somewhat similar to a Rhododendron, that is, fibrous, surface oriented, and wide spreading.  Dogwoods are considered non-aggressive and are appropriate around foundations and other structures. After planting, it is best to nurture your new tree by regularly and generously watering the first summer.  Often new Dogwoods look dreadful in their first summer of recovery.  This is because the tree has more top than bottom.  In other words, the tree has more leaves than roots.  Do not despair! Keep watering and caring for the tree and it will vastly improve as the roots catch up with the leaves. It takes about 3 seasons to fully establish a Dogwood tree. After that, they can become very tolerant of drought and require little care. As with People, Dogwoods become more beautiful with each passing year.

Other beautiful forms
Here are some other worthy forms of Dogwood tree—all worth planting. China Girl, Samaritan, Wolf Eyes, Aurora, Celestial Shadow, Heart Throb, Eddie’s White Wonder. 

The future looks good for flowering Dogwood trees, and I hear there will be many new awesome forms coming out in the near future.