For centuries,
Cornus florida, the familiar flowering dogwood, has been a revered favorite in the U.S., the country to which it is native. This particular variety has a natural range from Ontario to Mexico, but altogether there are about 40 different species of dogwood, including one
(Cornus kousa) that is found in Korea and Japan.
Painted, photographed and often taking the spotlight as the theme for springtime festivals across the country, the dogwood is a true understory tree; that is, it prefers the shade and protection offered by much larger trees. It rarely grows taller than 25 feet, and in most parts of the country, the dogwood simply won't survive in full sun. In spring the trees display green foliage and white or pink blossoms, then red or purplish leaves in the fall, making them a beautiful choice for year-round interest. In winter, some varieties produce bright berries that are an important food source for birds and other wildlife.
The Dogwood LegendAccording to legend, the dogwood once grew as tall and mighty as the oak. For that reason, it was chosen as the tree on which Jesus Christ was crucified. As the legend goes, the dogwood, forever ashamed of its duty, begged Jesus for forgiveness. Jesus took pity on the poor tree and decided that forevermore the dogwood would be slender and twisted so that its wood could never again be used for a cross. He also shaped the dogwood's blossoms into the form of a cross. In the center of each bloom is a crown of thorns, and on each of its petals are nail prints stained with red.
As for how the dogwood got its name, one explanation is that dog owners once made a tonic from the bark to wash their pets. A more likely derivation comes from the Old English term doggerwood, meaning "a stick once used to skewer meats."
Eight Steps to a Healthy Dogwood
- Select a dogwood cultivar (cultivated variety) adapted to your climatic region.
- If possible, plant your dogwood on a site that will be protected from the sun during the middle of the day. Avoid exposed, windy areas. Soil should be non-alkaline, fertile and friable (i.e., have good internal drainage).
- Dig a hole almost as deep as the root ball or container, and several times as wide. Plant the dogwood at the same level or slightly higher than it was growing-- never deeper. Cover the whole planting bed with a thick layer of mulch and water well.
- Immediately begin dogwood borer prevention. Apply appropriate insecticides to the trunk and main branches, and continue to do so for three years. Borers are attracted to stressed dogwoods, so keep your dogwood healthy and injury free.
- Keep weeds and vegetation away from the trunk by hand, so as not to allow weed-eaters or lawn mowers to injure the bark. Equipment can cause as much damage as dogwood borers.
- During a summer drought, when the soil is dry down to six inches, water slowly to wet the entire soil profile. Avoid wetting foliage.
- Fertilize with three ounces of ammonium nitrate or garden fertilizer (without weed killer) per inch of trunk diameter in spring and again two months later. Sprinkle on mulch around plant. When trees have reached the desired size, cease fertilization.
- If mildew or ordinary spot anthracnose (a fungal disease) becomes a recurrent seasonal problem, initiate preventive spray applications according to current Agricultural Extension Service recommendations.
(Excerpted from "Dogwood Culture in Nursery and Landscape" by Willard T. Witte,
Tennessee Agri Science, Summer 1995)
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