Overview

Introduce a classic American favorite to your landscape with this dogwood tree live plant. Standing approximately 1 foot tall, this starter plant is ready to establish itself in your garden and provide years of natural beauty. Often referred to by its botanical name, Cornus florida, the dogwood tree is renowned for its elegant form, distinctive layered branching, and spectacular seasonal displays. This deciduous tree is a true four-season delight, offering delicate spring flowers (bracts), lush green summer foliage, brilliant red-purple autumn leaves, and an attractive winter silhouette. Perfect for adding visual interest and supporting local wildlife, a dogwood tree live plant is an excellent choice for any garden.

This young dogwood tree live plant is ideal for those looking to cultivate a beautiful and resilient specimen. It’s a fantastic option for creating a focal point in your yard, planting along a woodland edge, or integrating into a mixed border. With proper care, this starter plant will grow into a mature, majestic tree, enhancing the aesthetic appeal and ecological value of your outdoor space. Its manageable 1 ft height makes it easy to plant and care for, allowing you to enjoy the journey of watching it flourish. Understanding proper dogwood tree care is key to its success.

Key Benefits

The dogwood tree live plant offers a multitude of benefits for both the gardener and the environment. Its ornamental value is just the beginning of what this remarkable tree brings to your home. This flowering tree outdoor selection will transform your garden.

• Stunning Seasonal Beauty: Enjoy a continuous show of color and texture throughout the year. From the iconic white or pink ‘flowers’ (bracts) in spring to the vibrant red-purple foliage in fall, this tree ensures your garden remains captivating. The seasonal changes make it a focal point for your deciduous dogwood tree.
• Wildlife Attraction: The berries produced by the dogwood tree live plant in late summer and fall are a vital food source for many bird species, while its flowers attract pollinators, contributing to local biodiversity and supporting your garden’s ecosystem.
• Adaptable & Resilient: Known for its hardiness, the dogwood tree can thrive in a range of climates, particularly within USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9, making it a reliable choice for many regions. Its resilience ensures long-term enjoyment.
• Attractive Form: Even without its seasonal displays, the graceful, horizontal branching structure of the dogwood provides year-round architectural interest in the landscape. This adds structure and elegance to your outdoor space.
• Moderate Growth Rate: As a starter plant, it will grow at a moderate pace, allowing you to enjoy its development without an excessively long wait for maturity. This makes it an ideal flowering tree outdoor selection for patient gardeners.
• Low Maintenance Once Established: After its initial planting and care, a mature dogwood requires relatively little attention, making it a rewarding addition for busy gardeners. This reduces the ongoing effort required for your Cornus florida tree.
• Enhances Curb Appeal: A well-placed dogwood tree can significantly boost the beauty and value of your property, creating a welcoming and picturesque environment. This beautiful Cornus florida tree is an investment in your home.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your dogwood tree live plant ensures it grows into a healthy, thriving specimen. Dogwoods prefer a site with well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. While they can tolerate a range of soil types including clay, loam, sand, and silt, consistently wet or poorly drained conditions should be avoided as they can lead to root rot. Aim for a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH (6.0-7.0). When planting, ensure the top of the root ball is level with or slightly above the surrounding soil to prevent water accumulation around the trunk. A generous layer of mulch around the base will help retain soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds, contributing to excellent dogwood tree care.

Sunlight is crucial for optimal growth and flowering. Dogwoods perform best in locations that receive full sun to medium sun, meaning at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day. In warmer climates, some afternoon shade can be beneficial to protect the foliage from scorching, preventing leaf burn. Regular watering is essential for young dogwood tree live plant specimens, especially during dry periods in their first few years to help establish a strong root system. Once established, they are moderately drought tolerant but will benefit from supplemental watering during extended dry spells. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for trees and shrubs, following the product’s instructions. Avoid over-fertilization, which can harm the tree’s health.

Pruning should be done sparingly, primarily to remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches to maintain the tree’s health and shape. The best time to prune is late winter to early spring before new growth begins, minimizing stress on the plant. Protect young trees from deer browsing if necessary, as they can damage tender new growth. Common pests and diseases include powdery mildew, dogwood anthracnose, and borers. Selecting resistant varieties and practicing good cultural care, such as ensuring proper air circulation and avoiding overhead watering, can help prevent many issues. This proactive approach is vital for the longevity of your deciduous dogwood tree.

Size & Details

This offering is for one dogwood tree live plant, which typically arrives as a starter plant approximately 1 foot tall. The exact height may vary slightly due to natural growth and packaging, but it will generally be within the 12-24 inch range. This deciduous tree is grown for outdoor planting and is suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9, indicating its resilience to cold and sub-tropical climates. It exhibits a fast growth rate under ideal conditions, allowing it to quickly establish itself in your garden. The plant is shipped in a form suitable for immediate planting, ready to acclimate to its new environment. Expect this Cornus florida tree to mature into a medium-sized ornamental tree, typically reaching heights of 15-30 feet with a spread of 15-25 feet, providing a significant landscape presence and becoming a cherished part of your outdoor space for decades.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this dogwood tree get? A: This dogwood tree live plant is a starter at about 1 foot tall. With proper care, it can grow to a mature height of 15-30 feet and a spread of 15-25 feet, becoming a beautiful flowering tree outdoor and a significant landscape feature.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: This dogwood tree is an outdoor plant, ideally suited for garden landscapes and thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9. It is not suitable for indoor cultivation.
• Q: How much sunlight does a dogwood tree need? A: Dogwood trees prefer full sun to medium sun, meaning 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily. In hotter climates, some afternoon shade can protect the leaves from intense heat and scorching. Proper sunlight is crucial for good dogwood tree care.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Once established, the deciduous dogwood tree is relatively low maintenance. Young plants require consistent watering and protection from pests, but mature trees are quite resilient and self-sufficient.
• Q: What condition will the dogwood plant arrive in? A: The plant will arrive healthy and ready for planting, carefully packaged to ensure its well-being during transit. It will be in a dormant or semi-dormant state, depending on the season, ensuring it’s ready for your garden.
• Q: When is the best time to plant a dogwood tree? A: Spring or early fall are generally the best times to plant a dogwood tree, allowing it to establish its root system before extreme weather conditions, either hot summers or cold winters.
• Q: Will this dogwood tree survive winter in my zone? A: This Cornus florida tree is hardy in USDA Zones 4-9, meaning it can withstand winter temperatures down to -30°F (-34°C). Always check your specific hardiness zone to ensure compatibility for your region.
• Q: What type of soil is best for dogwoods? A: Dogwoods thrive in well-draining, organically rich soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0). They can adapt to various soil compositions like clay, loam, sand, and silt, provided drainage is adequate.
• Q: Does this tree produce fruit? A: Yes, after flowering, the dogwood tree live plant produces bright red berries in late summer and fall, which are attractive to birds and other wildlife, adding another layer of seasonal interest to your landscape.
• Q: What is the growth rate of this dogwood tree? A: Dogwood trees generally have a fast growth rate, especially when young and provided with optimal growing conditions, allowing them to establish quickly in your landscape. This contributes to their appeal as a flowering tree outdoor option.