Flowering Dogwood 101: How To Plant And Maintain This Beautiful Tree

From beauty and curb appeal to an increase in home value, trees offer many benefits to homeowners. Of course, knowing how to plant and care for each specific tree can be daunting. Thankfully, the flowering dogwood is one of the easiest trees for homeowners who lack a green thumb. With this guide, you will understand the best tips for planting and caring for your new flowering dogwood tree.

Planting 101

Location matters when it comes to your tree because it works well in full sun or an area that sees partial shade. Avoid planting the flowering dogwood in shady, moist areas.

Not only is it a great tree to create a massive statement in your landscape design, but its smaller height and spread makes it a great option to include in a flower bed.

The flowering dogwood can reach heights of up to 25 feet with a width of about the same distance. This ensures your tree will not grow too large for your home's yard. There is also little risk of the flowering dogwood affecting power lines.

Make sure to water your tree generously immediately after planting. In warmer seasons, water the tree a few times a week especially if it has not rained.

Maintaining 101

The flowering dogwood is a durable tree, but a bit of maintenance is required to ensure your blooms are bright and colorful through the spring and summer seasons.

  • Avoid pruning in the spring and summer, since this is when growth occurs. The last weeks of winter are the best times to prune the tree, but only cut off branches that appear discolored, decaying, or damaged by insects.
  • If any branches are hanging low to the ground, use your pruning shears to remove these, as well. Allowing the branches to hang too low will weigh the other limbs down, decreasing the classic shape and texture of the flowering dogwood tree.
  • If you notice small red or purple spots on the leaves of your tree, it is most likely infected with a fungal disease. Known as anthracnose, this fungal disease not only affects the look of your tree.
  • If left untreated, the fungal disease will spread all through the foliage and roots, eventually killing your tree. While surprising, the fungus is also capable of spreading to trees and shrubs planted nearby.
  • It is best to apply a fungicide to the entire tree before pruning off diseased limbs and foliage. Do not leave any limbs, leaves, or flowers on the ground, since this can lead to the fungus spreading to other plants. If the fungicide is not improving the health and look of your dogwood and the tree is no longer blooming, removing it is essential before the disease spreads to other areas of your landscape. 
  • Also, wipe down your pruning shears with rubbing alcohol after trimming. This will kill the fungus before using the shears on other plants.

The flowering dogwood provides a classic beauty that will stand the test of time in your landscape. This guide will help you plant and maintain this elegant tree. To learn more about planting trees, contact a business such as Roger's Tree Service LLC

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