Flowering dogwood combines just about everything in a tree that a homeowner could want--gorgeous spring blooms, picturesque form, handsome bark, and colorful fall foliage and berries. Many people believe flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) does better in shade and, in fact, will croak if planted in full sun. To find out the truth, I asked someone who should know--Don Shadow, considered by many to be the South's foremost nurseryman.

A wholesale grower in Winchester, Tennessee, Don works tirelessly to develop and distribute superior plants to the public. He's totally ruthless when evaluating plants. He'll grow thousands of dogwoods to find the few worth keeping and propagating. His advice about growing these trees, summarized below, may surprise you.

• Planting in a sunny, open spot is usually okay. You'll get many more flowers and also much less fungus on the leaves. Placing them under dripping trees may result in powdery mildew, leaf spot, or dogwood anthracnose fungus. The latter disease, which causes tan blotches on the leaves and twig dieback, has caused great damage in forests. The native habitat for flowering dogwood is in the light, high shade of tall trees. So light afternoon shade is especially beneficial in the Lower and Coastal South.
• Don't forget to water. "Dogwood has a shallow root system," he explains. "After planting, it has to be carefully watered for two to three years to get established. I don't mean sprinkle--I mean water. Put the soaker hose around it, and leave it on all night. Even large trees need watering when it's dry." Drought-stressed trees often suffer from leaf scorch--brown edges on leaves--and are more susceptible to pests.
• Don't use string trimmers and lawnmowers to cut grass around trunks. "That kills more dogwoods than anything," says Don. "A young dogwood is a very thin-barked tree." Accidentally stripping off the bark at the base can be fatal. Instead, mulch around the trunk to keep down grass, or use hand clippers.
• Choose named selections rather than unnamed seedlings. Though seedlings may be cheaper, named selections bloom better and are more resistant to insects and diseases.

Don's favorite selections include 'Appalachian Spring' (white flowers, attractive foliage, resists dogwood anthracnose), 'Barton' (large white flowers, blooms at a young age), 'Cherokee Brave' (red flowers with white centers, resists mildew), 'Cloud Nine' (similar to 'Barton,' resists mildew), and 'Pygmaea' (white-flowered dwarf, blooms when it's 2 feet tall, reaches 12 feet tall after 20 years). Look for these selections in garden centers this spring.

Flowering Dogwood
At a Glance