Rich red spring blooms and classic dogwood charm, a front-yard favorite with serious main-character energy
FEATURES:
- Deep red spring blooms that glow against fresh green leaves and early-season skies
- Iconic dogwood shape with layered branching that looks beautiful in every season
- Excellent understory tree for dappled light, woodland edges, and mixed borders
- Attractive red berries that invite songbirds and add late-season interest
- Gorgeous fall color in shades of red to burgundy, a true autumn encore
- Perfect scale for home landscapes: big impact, not overwhelming
- Hand Selected; Fresh from the Grower
- Ships on our trucks because the size of the tree - does not fit in a box.
Bower & Branch Landscape Design Tip:
Give it the backdrop it deserves. Pair those red blooms with deep greens (boxwood, holly, spruce) and a simple carpet of spring bulbs underneath. Keep the base planting low and layered so the branching stays visible, because that silhouette is half the charm and it’s doing you a favor year-round.
Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 5-9
- Mature Height: 15-25' tall
- Mature Width: 15-25' wide
- Exposure: Full Sun/Partial Shade
- Spacing: 15-20' apart
Cherokee Chief Flowering Dogwood
Bower & Branch Trees and Plants
Cornus florida 'Cherokee Chief'
Regular priceSave 25% on All Tree Collections with code: SPRINGBEST25 at checkout.
Plant with Confidence when choosing Big & Tall Trees and Hedges!
Rich red spring blooms and classic dogwood charm, a front-yard favorite with serious main-character energy
FEATURES:
- Deep red spring blooms that glow against fresh green leaves and early-season skies
- Iconic dogwood shape with layered branching that looks beautiful in every season
- Excellent understory tree for dappled light, woodland edges, and mixed borders
- Attractive red berries that invite songbirds and add late-season interest
- Gorgeous fall color in shades of red to burgundy, a true autumn encore
- Perfect scale for home landscapes: big impact, not overwhelming
- Hand Selected; Fresh from the Grower
- Ships on our trucks because the size of the tree - does not fit in a box.
Bower & Branch Landscape Design Tip:
Give it the backdrop it deserves. Pair those red blooms with deep greens (boxwood, holly, spruce) and a simple carpet of spring bulbs underneath. Keep the base planting low and layered so the branching stays visible, because that silhouette is half the charm and it’s doing you a favor year-round.
Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 5-9
- Mature Height: 15-25' tall
- Mature Width: 15-25' wide
- Exposure: Full Sun/Partial Shade
- Spacing: 15-20' apart
Why plant Cherokee Chief Flowering Dogwood?
This is the dogwood that shows up dressed to impress. In spring, it blooms with bold red bracts that read like flower petals from across the yard, giving you that classic dogwood moment but with extra drama and richness. After bloom, it settles into a season of calm, glossy green foliage and a graceful branching silhouette that makes gardens feel established and welcoming. Then fall arrives with red-toned foliage and berries that bring in the birds, because apparently your yard is the place to be.
Dogwoods have long been loved for their timeless look and their ability to thrive in that sweet spot of morning sun and afternoon shade. ‘Cherokee Chief’ takes that tradition and turns the color up a notch, perfect when you want your landscape to feel warm, elegant, and unmistakably intentional.
How to use Cherokee Chief Flowering Dogwood in the landscape?
Plant it where spring blooms can be enjoyed up close, near an entry walk, beside a patio, or framed by front-yard beds. It shines in part shade, especially along woodland edges or under taller trees, where it creates a layered, natural look without getting lost. Use it as a focal point in a foundation planting, then surround it with shade-friendly companions like hydrangeas, azaleas, hostas, ferns, and heuchera for a soft, finished understory palette. For the most striking color, place it near evergreens or darker foliage so those red blooms stand out like a spotlight moment in early spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
The spring display is a deep red. Technically, the “flowers” you see are colorful bracts (modified leaves) that surround the tiny true flowers, but the effect is bold, saturated red from a distance.
Plant in well-drained soil and water deeply during the first growing season to establish roots. Dogwoods appreciate consistent moisture (not soggy feet) and do especially well with a mulch ring to keep roots cool, just keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk. Morning sun with afternoon shade is a favorite setup.
Prune lightly and only as needed, removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches. Late winter to early spring is a good time for structural pruning, but keep it minimal so you preserve the natural dogwood shape. Avoid heavy pruning, this tree looks best when it’s allowed to be gracefully itself.
