Some bushes exhibit in spring, others in summer time, and others are flashy in fall. Sadly, maybe, the rarer tree masterfully navigates every season as a number one woman of the panorama. Dogwood bushes, nevertheless, handle to do precisely that, and a few of them even have ornamental bark that lights up the winter panorama. Right here, we’ll share our favourite dogwood varieties that will help you select probably the most stunning kind to your backyard.
Dogwoods are a few of the most prolific bloomers of the spring season, with their plenty of considerably sized flowers in shades of white, pink, and even pink. They make fantastic shade bushes in summer time with their low, huge canopies.
If the blooms and fairly foliage usually are not incentive sufficient to develop a dogwood, you merely should see them in fall. Dogwood bushes flip shades of good scarlet and vermillion, gently accented with golds and oranges. Some have enticing pink fruits, and a choose few have colourful bark that creates curiosity in winter.
Let’s check out some fantastic dogwood varieties to your panorama.
Appalachian Pleasure
botanical identify Cornus florida ‘Appalachian Pleasure’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 15’ – 20’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
This attractive dogwood will shine all 4 seasons of the yr. Beginning in fall with very showy flowers, the blooms of this selection are additional particular. The place most dogwood flowers have 4 petals, ‘Appalachian Pleasure’ can have as much as 8 petals or bracts per flower! The cover is huge and branching, creating a stunning distinction to extra upright neighboring bushes.
In fall, ‘Appalachian Pleasure’ goes out with an intense shade present. Leaves flip shades of pink and purple, then fall to disclose vivid pink berries for the winter, attracting many songbirds to the backyard. This selection was additionally bred for enhanced illness resistance, making this a wonderful tree for these dwelling in areas the place dogwoods are susceptible.
Arctic Fireplace
botanical identify Cornus sericea ‘Farrow’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 3’-4′ |
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hardiness zones 3 – 7 |
‘Arctic Fireplace’ is extra of a shrub than a tree, reaching a mature peak of solely 5 ft tall. Its branching behavior makes it a beautiful, dense little shrub, although. It is extremely shade tolerant, so this dogwood can flourish in your yard’s tough spots. It additionally does fantastic with partial solar.
The flowers on ‘Arctic Fireplace’ are small and white and seem in tight clusters together with the brilliant inexperienced leaves in spring. The primary attraction of this selection is the one that’s most obvious in winter. The newer branches are a daring, vivid shade of pink, deepening as they age. They make very good lower branches so as to add to winter floral preparations.
Arctic Solar
botanical identify Cornus sanguinea ‘Arctic Solar’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 4’ |
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hardiness zones 4 – 8 |
When you guess this dogwood may additionally have colourful bark like its equally named cousin, ‘Arctic Fireplace’, you’ll not be upset. ‘Arctic Solar’ has decorative bark that shines in shades of yellow and orange and deepens to a beautiful shade of coral over time.
Arctic solar glows within the backyard, plenty of small white flowers scent pretty in spring, and the foliage turns from inexperienced to gold in fall. Its compact dimension makes this a really accessible plant, even for smaller areas. Hold this one near your out of doors dwelling areas to benefit from the colours all yr.
Barton
botanical identify Cornus florida ‘Barton’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 20’ – 25’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 8 |
‘Barton’ is a chic, basic dogwood tree with a manageable mature peak of 20’-25’. Once I hear the identify dogwood, that is the tree I envision. An avenue of those bushes makes a spectacular sight in spring and fall, and its pyramidal development behavior makes a pleasant shade tree in summer time.
‘Barton’s’ blooms are the quintessential, four-petaled selection, in white, with inexperienced facilities. The leaves start and finish their tenure in shades of pink. The leaves emerge ruby pink in spring, steadily deepening to a darkish inexperienced shade. Lastly, in fall, the foliage reveals off a flamboyant, fiery shade of pink.
Cherokee Courageous
botanical identify Cornus florida ‘Comco No. 1’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 20’ – 25’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
The Cherokee collection are hybrids with glorious illness resistance. This selection is understood for its exceptionally colourful nature. The flowers of ‘Cherokee Courageous’ are a few of the showiest of the genus. Pink-edged bracts are white towards the middle, with pink veining and lime inexperienced facilities.
The foliage of this cultivar additionally reveals off a touch of blush earlier than maturing to giant, daring, inexperienced leaves. In fall, the leaves flip burgundy after which fall to show the brilliant pink berries that usher in overwintering songbirds. This hardy hybrid resists ailments and pests and is extra drought-tolerant than most.
Cherokee Princess
botanical identify Cornus florida ‘Cherokee Princess’ |
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solar necessities Partial shade |
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peak 30’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
This princess is aptly named for her beautiful magnificence. ‘Cherokee Princess’ is a reasonably large selection, reaching about 30 ft tall at maturity. A pleasant, huge, branching development behavior makes a shocking assertion lined in giant, snow-white flowers in spring. This cultivar has pink leaves in spring, which deepen to a deep inexperienced shade in summer time.
This glorious shade tree has a aptitude for the dramatic, with 4 seasons of curiosity. In fall, when the daytime wane and chlorophyll manufacturing slows, the pink undertones flare again up, turning brick pink. Pink berries add curiosity in winter contrasted with the enticing gray bark. ‘Cherokee Princess’ sometimes has an expansion higher than its peak and a low clearance.
Cloud 9
botanical identify Cornus florida ‘Cloud 9’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 15’ – 30’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
‘Cloud 9’ is a flexible dogwood that may be skilled as a big shrub or a small tree. It has a generously branching development behavior, making it a terrific specimen or panorama focus. Dogwood bushes have a beautiful, intentional impact on the panorama that not many bushes can create.
Anticipate giant, showy, white flowers for a number of weeks in spring, adopted by glowing inexperienced foliage in summer time. Crimson and scarlet are ‘Cloud 9’s’ fall tones, and visual pink berries spruce up the winter backyard. This selection could be delicate, so in case your space has a historical past of anthracnose infestation, this won’t be the best one to your yard.
Elizabeth Lustgarden
botanical identify Cornus kousa ‘Elizabeth Lustgarden’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 12’ – 15’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
The kousa species of dogwoods usually are not native. Reasonably, they hail from Asia and have glorious illness resistance. ‘Elizabeth Lustgarden’ is a captivating selection with a weeping behavior in a pleasant compact dimension that may be a big shrub or small tree. The branches will weep all the best way to the bottom when the tree is mature.
This isn’t a spread you’ll possible see in everybody’s backyard, so it will likely be a particular focus wherever you plant it. In fall, this selection’s giant, downward-hanging leaves are a daring shade of scarlet. In winter, Kousa Dogwoods have giant, edible fruit, not like different species, which have fruit that’s edible for birds however not people.
Firebird
botanical identify Cornus florida ‘Fircomz’ |
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solar necessities Partial solar |
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peak 15’ – 18’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
Maintain onto your hats as a result of this one is a showstopper. If colourful is your goal, ‘Firebird’ will likely be on the high of your listing. The variegated foliage pops out in pink, white, and inexperienced shades in spring. This flashy foliage is joined by fantastic pink and white flowers enticing to pollinators. At simply 15’-18’ tall, this dogwood suits in anyplace.
In fall, the gorgeous foliage reveals off much more, turning shades of pink and plum, with plump pink fruits sprinkled all through. It’s gorgeous year-round, and the songbirds will flock to your backyard for a feast when ‘Firebird’ drops its leaves. This selection makes a terrific, giant shrub, however the backside branches may also be pruned to create extra of a small tree form.
First Woman
botanical identify Cornus florida ‘First Woman’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 20’ – 30’ |
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hardiness zones 6 – 9 |
‘First Woman’ joins ‘Firebird’ in having variegated foliage, however on this case, the variegation reveals off in shades of inexperienced and yellow, that are larger distinction in cooler climates and deeper inexperienced in hotter ones. The flowers are giant and creamy white. First Woman has an upright, branching behavior, making it a really enticing, multi-level tree.
It is a bigger selection and a show-off in fall, with leaves that keep variegation however in daring shades of pink and purple. If the decrease branches usually are not pruned, they keep a low clearance, usually drooping to the bottom. The higher branches develop extra vertically. It is a actually stunning addition to the panorama.
Isanti
botanical identify Cornus sericea ‘Isanti’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 4′ – 5′ |
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hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
This shrubby dogwood has glorious chilly tolerance and is hardy to Zone 3. It’s slow-growing and compact and makes a stunning hedge as soon as mature. The foliage is pink in spring and accented with clusters of small, white flowers. The summer time foliage deepens to a pleasant, medium-green shade.
‘Isanti’ has the signature pink fall foliage so frequent to the genus and produces small white fruits, just like ‘Firedance’. One other related trait between the 2 varieties is the brilliant pink branches that make this a particular deal with for the winter panorama. Pruning the oldest branches will maintain the bark vivid pink and showy.
Ivory Halo
botanical identify Cornus alba ‘Baihalo’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 6’ |
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hardiness zones 3 – 7 |
‘Ivory Halo’ is an uneventful bloomer, however that doesn’t imply that it’s with out its charms. The foliage is a serious promoting level for this shrubby dogwood selection. The foliage is variegated, with gorgeous blue-green leaves which have vivid white, irregular margins. Whereas the flowers aren’t the primary attraction, pollinators appear keen on this selection.
The leaves tackle a reddish-purple tone in fall and are accented by fairly white berries that entice songbirds. This selection additionally has daring pink bark, which is fantastic in distinction with the cool-colored leaves and good in opposition to the chilly winter panorama.
Neon Burst
botanical identify Cornus alba ‘Byboughen’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 4′ – 5’ |
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hardiness zones 2 – 7 |
Flashy and colourful, ‘Neon Burst’ is a extra sun-tolerant dogwood shrub than most. The foliage emerges neon inexperienced with a bronze forged, and the colour intensifies to glowing chartreuse by summertime. The branches are deep pink, and the colour is most intense in spring, creating a beautiful shade palette.
‘Neon Burst’ has a full and rounded development behavior and makes a spectacular hedge in a grouping. In fall, this selection actually unleashes the rainbow, taking up pink, purple, and orange accents to its vivid yellow-green summer time leaves. This very colourful shrub makes an enormous assertion however doesn’t require a lot area.
Pacific
botanical identify Cornus nuttallii |
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solar necessities Partial shade |
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peak 15’ – 40’ |
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hardiness zones 7 – 9 |
Pacific is a big species of dogwood. Reaching common heights of about 40 ft tall, some specimens have grown taller than 60 ft. This dogwood additionally has hardwood generally used to make a wide selection of helpful merchandise. The bark is easy and darkish, and the leaves are a stunning pointed oval form.
Pacific dogwood has the pleasant behavior of blooming in spring and once more in early fall because the climate cools. The autumn bloom can overlap with fall shade modifications, which are available purples and reds. This tree is native to america Pacific coast and prefers hotter climates.
Pagoda
botanical identify Cornus alternifolia |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 15’ – 25’ |
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hardiness zones 3 – 7 |
This cultivar’s fascinating, horizontal, tiered branching behavior makes it extremely fascinating. Native to the northern United States, ‘Pagoda’ is cold-tolerant, and its dimension lends properly to each a big shrub or small tree type. The identify comes from its distinctive branching behavior, which creates layers that slim towards the highest of the tree.
‘Pagoda’ has closely veined, deep inexperienced leaves, producing clusters of small, aromatic, white flowers in spring. Flowers give strategy to black fruits, and the bark is decorative, with reddish-purple undertones to newer development. In fall, ‘Pagoda’s’ foliage is vivid pink. This tree is finest fitted to cooler climates and isn’t drought-tolerant.
Rainbow
botanical identify Cornus florida ‘Rainbow’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 30’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 8 |
For plenty of backyard shade, it’s no shock that ‘Rainbow’ dogwood could be on the high of the listing. This somewhat giant selection has a horizontal branching behavior, which creates a layered look because the tree matures. The flowers are the least colourful a part of the tree, however they’re very fairly. Giant and creamy white, the flowers properly complement the spring’s gold and inexperienced variegated foliage.
In summer time, the leaves deepen in shade, and pink fruits develop. The autumn foliage is ruby-colored and makes a hanging backdrop for shorter-statured vegetation. ‘Rainbow’ is gradual rising, at about 12-18 inches per yr, and reaches a mature peak of about 30 ft tall.
Pink Osier
botanical identify Cornus sericea |
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solar necessities Partial shade |
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peak 6’ – 9’ |
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hardiness zones 3 – 7 |
‘Pink Osier’ is probably the most widespread dogwood of these native to North America, starting from Zone 3 to Zone 7. It’s a very tolerant and durable species. Greatest grown as a medium-sized shrub, it’s bought loads of enchantment within the panorama. The pink branches frequent in shrubbier dogwoods are significantly vivid and create a beautiful distinction with the brilliant inexperienced leaves.
‘Pink Osier’ produces clusters of small, aromatic, white flowers in spring, which seem after the leaves, creating one other ingredient of magnificence to the plant. The leaves of this species have additionally been equally utilized by some Native People as tobacco leaves.
Satomi
botanical identify Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 12’ – 20’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 8 |
‘Satomi’ is a non-native dogwood selection that hails from Asia. Initially, this small to medium-sized dogwood has a vase form, nevertheless it matures to a stunning rounded type and makes a pleasant shade tree.
The flowers of this selection are distinctive and delightful. The 4 bracts are white and have the looks of being flippantly sprayed or splattered with deep pink paint. Kousa dogwoods additionally produce edible fruits, though few individuals domesticate them for that goal, and they’re sometimes left for the birds, who completely get pleasure from them.
Silver and Gold
botanical identify Cornus sericea ‘Silver and Gold’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 5′ – 7’ |
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hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
Talking of shrubby dogwoods with decorative bark, ‘Silver and Gold’ is a superb cultivar with sunny yellow to pink branches, making this an announcement plant for all seasons. It’s tolerant of moist and boggy soil sorts and, the truth is, prefers numerous water, so keep away from planting this in full solar and provides it particular consideration in the course of the scorching summer time months.
‘Silver and Gold’ has fantastic variegated foliage along with its colourful bark. The leaves are harking back to ‘Pearls and Jade’ pothos, with irregular variations of sunshine and darkish inexperienced, mingled with white, with white margins. The flowers of this selection usually are not noteworthy as they’re fairly small, however the fruits they produce are very enticing.
Venus
botanical identify Cornus ‘Kn30 8’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 14’ – 18’ |
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hardiness zones 6 – 9 |
For a specimen tree that can have the neighbors speaking, ‘Venus’ actually takes the cake. This small tree has a few of the largest flowers of the dogwoods, at six to eight inches in diameter. The scale and sheer quantity of the flowers create a spectacular impact in spring. As a hybrid of C. kousa, the strawberry-like fruits of this tree are edible.
Venus has an expansion that’s sometimes higher than its peak, creating a beautiful, layered cover. It sometimes has a low clearance, however the backside branches could be pruned off to create extra of a tree form. In fall, ‘Venus’ reveals up in shades of pink, gold, orange, and purple, making this one of many showiest dogwoods on the listing.
Wonderberry
botanical identify Cornus florida ‘Wonderberry’ |
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solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
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peak 20’ – 25’ |
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hardiness zones 5 – 8 |
‘Wonderberry’ is known as for its fruits, that are vivid pink and considerably bigger than most dogwoods. Reasonably than being spherical, they’re an elongated form and fairly seen in opposition to the inexperienced foliage. This selection grows to about 25 ft however has a low clearance if not pruned, so it has a shrubby and tiered development behavior.
‘Wonderberry’ has pure white flowers in basic type with 4 petal bracts. In fall, the foliage turns shades of pink and gold. With its giant berries which can be very seen and enticing to birds, ‘Wonderberry’ has year-round panorama curiosity.
Closing Ideas
Dogwood bushes are merely gorgeous and make a beautiful addition to any backyard panorama. Their bounty of blooms in spring, hanging foliage by way of summer time and fall, and enticing berries and branches in winter add magnificence to the yard all yr. Only a few bushes can boast as many fantastic qualities. In case you have been questioning which dogwood I’ll add to my backyard this yr, ‘Venus’ actually has my coronary heart!