Cornus florida - American Flowering Dogwood: Choosing, Planting and Caring

Botany and description

The Cornus florida or Flowering Dogwood is a small tree belonging to the Cornaceae family, a family comprising around fifty species of the genus Cornus (Cornus sanguinea, Cornus kousa, Cornus mas…). The Cornus florida is also called Dogwood in its native country. Its range extends along the East Coast and central United States: from Florida up to New York, almost to Canada. It grows naturally in woodland understories or forest edges.

♦ Did You Know? The epithet “florida” does not refer to the state of Florida as one might think given its range. But “florida” in Latin means “floriferous” and thus refers to its spectacular flowering. While this dogwood does indeed grow in Florida, it’s purely coincidental.

Cornus florida botanical plate circa 1820

Quite hardy, this tree has nevertheless spread worldwide in temperate zones, cultivated as a beautiful ornamental tree for its impressive flowering and flamboyant autumn foliage.

In the United States, the Cornus florida can reach a height of 12 m. However, in our regions, it will not exceed 8 m in height, often less depending on the cultivar. The crown is spreading to rounded, but the lateral branches grow almost horizontally from the trunk, giving it a very graphic appearance in winter. Young shoots are green but turn red in the sun. As it ages, the bark turns grey and cracks over time.

The root system is extensive but very shallow. Beware of compacted soils, waterlogged surfaces, and especially garden tools moving around the base of the tree (pickaxe, spade, tiller, or even lawnmower).

The foliage is opposite and deciduous. Each leaf, oval in shape (6 to 12 cm long) and pointed at the tip, has 5 to 6 lateral veins curving forward. The leaves are deep green, then lighten in summer before turning beautiful autumn colours: bright orange for the species type to red or purple for some cultivars. There are variegated varieties, such as Cornus florida ‘Rainbow’ or Cornus florida ‘Firebird’. Leave the fallen leaves at the base: they decompose quickly and help improve the soil.

Typical foliage of the species type, variegated leaves of the ‘Rainbow’ variety, and autumn foliage of Cornus florida

The flowers appear in spring, either just before the foliage emerges or at the same time. In mild climates, flowering occurs as early as April, while north of the Loire, you’ll have to wait until May. What we usually take for petals are actually bracts, arranged in an involucre. Numbering four, these bracts, 5 to 10 cm long, are white or take on various shades of pink depending on the cultivar. These bracts attract pollinating insects, as dogwoods are entomophilous: they need insects to fertilise the flowers and produce fruit.

The true flowers are located at the centre of the bracts. In reality, it’s a cluster of tiny flowers grouped in a glomerule. Each flower consists of four small petals surrounding four stamens with double anthers arranged in a staggered pattern. This glomerule is small and acid green, then yellow.

Cornus florida ‘Rubra’, Cornus florida subsp. urbiniana, and Cornus florida ‘Cherokee Chief’

Please note that flowering dogwoods in general take over ten years, sometimes 20 years, to flower if grown from seed. Opt for grafted specimens whose flowering will follow soon after planting!

Did You Know? Cornus florida trees are very prone, especially when young, to alternate bearing: meaning one year you may have almost no flowering, and the next year enjoy an incredible cascade of flowers.

Autumn fruiting follows flowering. These are glossy reddish drupes (very rarely yellow) at maturity, grouped in small clusters. These fruits, 1 cm in diameter, are particularly ornamental and remain on the tree from late summer until winter unless wind and birds decide otherwise. Each fruit contains one to two seeds that can be dispersed by birds or small mammals (zoochory). Note that seeds sometimes germinate after just two winters.

Please note: do not consume the fruits (“dogberries”) of these dogwoods! They are not truly edible, unlike the fruits of the Cornelian Cherry and the Japanese Cornelian Cherry. The fruits of American dogwoods are considered, depending on sources: insipid to toxic. In short: forget them!

Main varieties

The Classic Choices

Our Favourite Varieties

Flowering Dogwood - Cornus florida

This is the type species: Cornus florida. This flowering dogwood is a large bush or small tree with a spreading habit and single trunk, producing large white bracts on its naked shoots in early spring. The flowering is followed by small red berries, set against scarlet and purple autumn foliage.

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 6 m

See the product sheet

Cornus florida Rubra - Flowering Dogwood

This flowering dogwood stands out with its bright pink bracts, resembling flat flowers, followed by red berries in late summer, set against autumn foliage in scarlet and purple tones.

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 6 m

See the product sheet

Cornus florida Cloud Nine - Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida 'Cloud Nine' is a particularly floriferous variety of American flowering dogwood. Its abundant spring flowering features large white bracts, followed by decorative red berries in late summer. Its green summer foliage takes on magnificent autumn hues in shades of orange and purple.

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 4,50 m

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Cornus nuttalii Eddies White Wonder - Flowering Dogwood

Cornus 'Eddie's White Wonder' is a hybrid between Cornus florida and Cornus nuttallii. It is one of the most spectacular flowering dogwood varieties in spring due to its remarkably large white bracts. This dogwood is equally stunning in autumn with foliage in shades of scarlet and purple.

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 6 m

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Cornus florida Cherokee Chief - Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida 'Cherokee Chief' is a splendid American flowering dogwood in spring and magnificent in autumn. Forming a small, bushy shrub, ramified from the base, it produces an incredible ruby-pink flowering on its naked shoots in April.

• Flowering time May to July
• Height at maturity 3 m

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Cornus florida Rainbow - Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida ‘Rainbow’ is a large white-flowering dogwood, remarkable for its variegated green foliage margined with yellow, turning red in summer and purple in autumn.

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 4,50 m

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Cornus florida Firebird - Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida 'Firebrid' impresses with the beauty of its multicoloured and ever-changing foliage. Its spring shoots, variegated with red and pink, unfurl into multicoloured leaves blending green and creamy-white with a touch of pink. The beauty of the foliage almost surpasses its delicate pink spring flowering.

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 3,50 m

See the product sheet

Cornus florida subsp. urbiniana - Flowering Dogwood

Rare and unique, Cornus florida subsp. urbiniana stands out with its white bracts joined at the top to form small Chinese lantern-like structures. This subspecies, native to Mexico, retains its foliage longer in autumn, enhancing its decorative appeal as the leaves take on beautiful red-burgundy hues.

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 7 m

See the product sheet

Planting the American Flowering Dogwood

Where to plant?

Cornus florida thrive in slightly acidic, humus-bearing, fresh, but well-drained soils.

Regarding exposure, Cornus florida prefers partial shade.

Plant it under the canopy of tall trees, but ensure the crown isn’t too dense, as this could hinder flowering. This way, their foliage is protected from the scorching and drying afternoon sun as well as spring frosts that could damage the leaves and future flowering.

However, Cornus florida can grow in full sun in oceanic and temperate climates where it will maintain a beautiful shape and abundant flowering.

The beauty of spring flowering makes Cornus florida an iconic bush of the season.

Container cultivation

It is possible to temporarily grow (for no more than 2 or 3 years) small-sized Cornus florida, such as Cornus florida ‘Cherokee Chief’ in very large pots: minimum 60 cm in diameter. Be careful, the substrate must remain fresh, neither too wet nor too dry.

For this, prepare a mix: 1/3 garden soil, 1/3 compost, and 1/3 pumice, turf, or clay pebbles for drainage. Regularly check that the soil in the pot isn’t dry. Place the pot in a spot sheltered from cold or drying winds.

After these few years in a pot, it will be best to plant your dogwood in the ground so it can develop optimally.

When to plant?

Plant flowering dogwoods in autumn (October to November) or spring (March to May). By planting in October, the Cornus have time to establish well before winter. This makes for easier growth the following spring, and they will require less care. They will therefore be more resistant to drought. However, in colder regions, favour spring planting once the risk of heavy frost has passed.

How to plant?

To plant a Cornus florida:

• Loosen the soil and dig a hole two to three times the width and depth of the root ball, so the roots can develop well;
• Add a good amount of leaf mould and compost to the excavated soil. You can mix gravel into the soil to improve drainage if needed;
• Soak the root ball of your dogwood (with its pot) in a bucket or basin filled with water. When you no longer see bubbles rising, the root ball is well hydrated;
• Place your dogwood in the centre of the hole, ensuring the collar remains at soil level;
• Backfill the soil around the root ball and lightly firm it with your hands;
• Water thoroughly to avoid air pockets between the roots and soil. Mulch with dead leaves or a 10 cm layer of mulch to maintain moisture at the base;
• Water regularly during the first year, about one watering can per week in summer, preferably in the evening.

Maintenance

Watering

The soil should neither be dry in summer nor waterlogged in winter! Flowering dogwoods are sensitive to water stress. We recommend maintaining a mulch at the base of your tree to retain moisture and also to protect the roots from cold in winter.

Water regularly during the first year, about one watering can per week. After that, watering is unnecessary except in case of drought.

Pruning

No pruning is necessary. Cleaning is limited to removing dead branches in March. You may also remove crossing or poorly placed branches if needed.

However: avoid pruning Cornus florida as they are highly susceptible to anthracnose. Fungi take advantage of wounds to enter. Also be careful not to mow too close to low-hanging branches!

Mulching

Keeping an organic mulch at the base of the dogwood helps retain moisture, and as it decomposes, it will also improve soil quality and prevent compaction. You can use straw, wood chips, or dead leaves. If the tree is already large: simply leave its fallen leaves at its base in autumn!

The not yet fully opened bracts have an absolute grace…

Diseases and Pests

The American flowering dogwoods can be affected by anthracnose (or dogwood blight), a fungal disease caused by fungi. Anthracnose appears as brownish spots edged with purple, and necrosis on the leaves and young shoots.

These fungi take advantage of wounds to enter. That’s why it’s best to avoid pruning these dogwoods. Avoid watering the foliage and burn any leaves showing signs of anthracnose, including those that have fallen to the ground. Fortunately, there are now cultivars that are much less susceptible to this disease: such as ‘Sunset’, ‘Cherokee Princess’ or ‘Springtime’.

Powdery mildew (white mould) can also affect dogwoods. A white felting appears on the leaves, which then become distorted and dry out. This disease may occur in humid conditions with significant temperature fluctuations between day and night. Good air circulation between plants helps prevent this fungus.

Propagation

By sowing

Sowing is possible but… very slow. It can sometimes take up to twenty years before you can enjoy the first flowers. But if you’re patient, simply collect the seeds from ripe fruits in October-November, soak them for 24 hours, then sow them in pots with a well-draining substrate. Leave the pots in a cold frame and only bring them out the following spring. Place your pots in partial shade and keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged. Transplant your young plants individually once they have four leaves, then plant them in the ground the following autumn.

By propagation by cuttings

Taking cuttings from stems works, but the success rate is rarely higher than 50%.

In September, select sections of semi-hardwood stems (beginning to lignify) about ten centimetres long. Remove the leaves and secondary shoots, but keep the last two leaves at the tip of the cutting. Place your cuttings in a light, well-draining substrate (sowing compost, for example) and keep them covered. After three months, you can transplant the cuttings individually into small pots and place them in a bright, cold frame (such as a conservatory). The key is to ensure the temperature does not drop below 10°C. Keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged throughout the growing period. You can plant your successful cuttings in the autumn of the following year.

By grafting

Grafting is the only way to propagate hybrids and certain varieties of Cornus florida. Shield grafting in July-August works best. The rootstock should be a one-year-old seedling of the standard species of Cornus florida. Although ultimately simpler to perform than it seems, grafting is generally reserved for professionals.

→ Learn more about propagating dogwoods in our tutorial!

How to best pair my Cornus florida?

Flowering dogwoods are usually planted as standalone specimens. However, you can incorporate a Cornus florida into a woodland setting alongside other trees and bushes with striking autumn foliage or whose flowering coincides with that of the American flowering dogwood.

A Cornus florida ‘Rainbow’, with its variegated foliage turning reddish-purple in autumn, would pair beautifully with an Acer ginnala ‘Bailey Compact’, whose leaves take on lovely yellow, orange, and scarlet hues in autumn. Hailing from North America, a Fothergilla major, with its red, orange, and yellow autumn foliage, would feel right at home beside an American flowering dogwood. If winters in your area aren’t too harsh (below -12°C), you might try this striking bush from the Euphorbia family: the Sapium japonicum, whose foliage shifts from green to scarlet in autumn.

Don’t hesitate to plant your American flowering dogwood alongside other spring-flowering bushes. If you choose a Cornus florida ‘Rubra’ with pink flowers, it’s best to stick to similar tones. The well-known yet ever-stunning Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-No-Mai’ will be covered in lightly pink-tinged white flowers between March and May. While magnolias are often feared in small gardens, there are compact varieties—such as the Magnolia denudata ‘Iolanthe’. From a young age, it produces very large flowers (25–35 cm in diameter) in April–May, with lilac-pink cups and a paler centre. Finally, a charming Viburnum plicatum ‘Molly Schroeder’ stands out with its long-lasting pink spring flowering.

Beneath a Cornus florida, you can also cover the base with various shade or partial-shade ground-covering perennials: ferns, hostas, epimediums, brunneras, bergenias…

Cornus florida ‘Rainbow’, Fothergilla major in spring bloom, Sapium japonicum and Acer ginnala in their autumn colours, and Epimedium