Why plant a dogwood in your garden?

Dogwoods belong to the genus Cornus. They include shrubs and small trees valued for flowers, colourful bracts, autumn foliage or bright winter stems. Choose a species that suits your garden: their requirements are not all the same.

Shelter for garden wildlife

A mixed hedge provides shelter for birds and other animals. Some dogwoods produce fruit eaten by birds. Combine suitable shrubs and leave a quiet area beneath the hedge for wildlife.

Which fruit is edible?

Cornelian cherry, Cornus mas, produces red fruit used when fully ripe, for example in preserves. Do not confuse it with other dogwoods. Fruit eaten by birds is not automatically safe for people. Only use fruit from a reliably identified edible species.

Choose for flowers and growth habit

Cornus mas has yellow flowers in late winter or early spring. Other species are valued for large bracts or coloured young stems. Check the eventual height and spread before buying so the plant has enough room to develop.

Planting a dogwood

Plant when the ground is neither frozen nor waterlogged. Soil acidity, moisture and exposure requirements vary by species. Make a hole wide enough for the roots and keep the root collar approximately at its previous level. Backfill, firm gently and water thoroughly.

Prune according to the species

A shrub grown for winter stem colour needs different pruning from a flowering dogwood tree. Do not apply annual hard pruning to every dogwood. Remove damaged wood and follow the method appropriate to the species and the effect you want.