Dogwood: The American Spring Tree
Cornus florida
Flowering dogwood is the quintessential American spring tree — tiered branches covered in white or pink bracts, red fall foliage, and red winter berries for birds. Native Cornus florida struggles with anthracnose; Kousa and hybrids are more disease-resistant.
Specifications
- Sun
- Part sun
- Water
- Moderate
- Hardiness zones
- 5–9
- Height
- 15–30 ft
- Bloom time
- Mid to late spring
Care & growing tips
Plant in rich, acidic, well-drained soil in part shade. Keep consistently moist — dogwoods stress easily in drought. Mulch widely to protect shallow roots. Choose Kousa or Stellar hybrids for anthracnose resistance in humid regions.
Companion plants
03Find dogwood in your zone
15Zone-specific care, planting windows, and alternatives.
- Z5 Dogwood in Zone 5
- Z5a Dogwood in Zone 5a
- Z5b Dogwood in Zone 5b
- Z6 Dogwood in Zone 6
- Z6a Dogwood in Zone 6a
- Z6b Dogwood in Zone 6b
- Z7 Dogwood in Zone 7
- Z7a Dogwood in Zone 7a
- Z7b Dogwood in Zone 7b
- Z8 Dogwood in Zone 8
- Z8a Dogwood in Zone 8a
- Z8b Dogwood in Zone 8b
- Z9 Dogwood in Zone 9
- Z9a Dogwood in Zone 9a
- Z9b Dogwood in Zone 9b
Frequently Asked Questions
01 What's the difference between Kousa and native flowering dogwood?
Native (Cornus florida) blooms before leaves in April with large bracts but suffers from anthracnose in humid regions. Kousa (C. kousa) blooms later (June) after leaves emerge, with pointed bracts, and resists anthracnose better. Kousa also produces showy red fruit in fall.
02 Why are my dogwood leaves spotted and dying?
Anthracnose is the most likely culprit for Cornus florida, especially in humid climates. Keep the tree well-watered, remove fallen leaves in fall, and avoid overhead watering. For new plantings, choose Kousa or the disease-resistant Stellar hybrids.
03 How much sun does a dogwood need?
Understory tree that thrives in part sun (4–6 hours), especially with afternoon shade. Full sun in cooler zones (5–6) is fine; in hot zones (7–9) full sun stresses the tree and invites borers. Morning sun with dappled afternoon shade is ideal.
