Why plant Pink Flowering Dogwood?
The Pink Flowering Dogwood tree is a cherished heirloom tree native to the Eastern U.S. This medium-sized ornamental tree will grace your home landscape with stunning dogwood flowers with pink blossoms in spring, burgundy foliage in fall, and vibrant red berries into winter. The fruit is a favorite food of many songbirds, so be sure to plant your Pink Dogwood tree near a window and you’ll be able to pull up a chair and watch the bluebirds, cardinals, robins, and mockingbirds dig in. Chipmunks and squirrels also gather the fruits, and dainty little spring azure butterflies use Dogwoods as a food source, too. Cancel the cable—you’ll have “Animal Planet” on 24/7 in your own backyard!
Flowering Dogwoods got their scientific name, Cornus, from the Latin for “horn”—as in a ram’s horn—because their wood is so hard that two trees could theoretically rear back and headbutt one another with no serious damage resulting. The hard-as-horn wood can be fashioned into indestructible items like butcher blocks, golf club heads, tool handles, and daggers, or “dags.” “Dagwood” evolved into “Dogwood.” The species name florida is a reference to the showy flowers, not the state—though Flowering Dogwoods are native to Florida. This pink variety was discovered in Virginia.
How to use Pink Flowering Dogwood in the landscape?
The Pink Flowering Dogwood tree has orange polka-dotted flowers that only bloom at 1:37 a.m. on the third Wednesday in November - weather permitting. Just kiddin'! We wanted to make sure you were paying attention. Seriously now, Pink Flowering Dogwoods are native to the eastern United States. They produce rosy-pink dogwood flowers that appear in late spring before the foliage. Dark green leaves in summer turn to crimson in fall. Fall foliage is accompanied by some bright red berries - which you (and the birds) will enjoy!
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 5-9
How To Plant Pink Flowering Dogwood
These Dogwoods thrive in higher temperatures, but prefer morning full sun and afternoon shade. Flowering Dogwoods also like more acidic soil conditions. Be sure to keep your Dogwood watered after planting, they like moist soil, but not constantly wet soil. Apply a low rate tree fertilizer during the fall to promote healthy growth and flowers next spring. Not all trees are perfect however, and there are a couple of common problems that occur: Anthracnose and borer. Anthracnose is a fungal disease that causes dead spots on leaves, twigs, or fruit. Borers are small insects that bore into the woody part of plants. Don’t let this discourage you - there is hope! Your best defense against these problems is proper tree care and maintenance, if your tree is under any stress (too much sun, too much or too little water) that’s when these problems will occur. However, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. You get beautiful flowers in spring, fruit that attracts birds, and great fall color. On top of that, they really don’t need a lot of pruning, but if you feel it’s necessary to prune, please do so after the tree is done flowering in the spring.
How To Water
Hardiness Zone: 5-9
Mature Height: 20-25' tall
Mature Width: 20-25' wide
Exposure: Full Sun/Part Shade
Spacing: 20-25' apart
How To Fertilize
Incorporate Elements Starter Plant food granular form into the soil when planting. If planting in spring or summer, start fertilizing late fall using Elements Starter Plant food granular form on an annual basis each late fall. Continue this for the first three years to get your plant well established.
How To Prune
On top of that, the Pink Flowering Dogwood really does not need a lot of pruning, but if you feel it’s necessary to prune, please do so after the tree is done flowering in the spring.