Pagoda dogwood

Sun

Partial shade is ideal, especially afternoon shade in warmer areas. Full sun is suitable where summers are cool and the soil stays moist.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist but not waterlogged; water deeply during dry spells, especially while establishing.

Soil

Moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil, preferably acidic to neutral. Avoid drought-prone sand, compacted ground and persistently wet soil.

Height

15-25 ft (4.6-7.6 m)

Spread

20-30 ft (6.1-9.1 m)

Flowers

Flat clusters of small creamy-white flowers in late spring to early summer; unlike flowering dogwood, these have no large showy bracts.

Foliage

Broad, pointed green leaves with curved veins, arranged alternately along the stems; autumn colour ranges from red to reddish-purple.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   7 ft (2.2 m)

3. After 2 years

   8 ft (2.4 m)

4. After 3 years

   9 ft (2.6 m)

5. After 5 years

   10 ft (3 m)

About 20 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply during dry weather for the first two growing seasons, then during prolonged drought.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of leaf mould or composted bark over the root zone, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Protect the tree from hot afternoon sun and drying winds.
• Avoid digging beneath the canopy, where shallow roots are easily damaged.
• Feed only if growth is weak or a soil test shows a deficiency; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.

Pruning. Prune lightly in late winter on a dry day, removing crossing branches and unwanted basal shoots while preserving the horizontal tiers. Remove dead or cankered branches promptly in dry weather, cutting back into healthy wood and disinfecting tools between cuts.

Autumn

Plant while the soil is workable, water thoroughly and mulch the root zone.

Late winter

Check the branch structure and lightly remove crossing branches or unwanted basal shoots.

Spring

Refresh mulch without piling it against the trunk; check for yellowed or dying branches.

Late spring

Leave flower clusters intact to provide nectar and develop fruit for birds.

Summer

Water deeply during dry spells and check exposed leaves for scorch.

Early summer

Take softwood cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots if you want to propagate it.

• Use as an understorey tree beneath taller deciduous trees, where its layered branches remain visible.
• Place beside a shaded patio or path, allowing enough space for its broad mature canopy.
• Combine with ferns, foamflowers and woodland perennials for a naturalistic planting.
• Set against a dark evergreen background to highlight the pale flowers and autumn foliage.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Wildlife garden, Japanese, Arts and Crafts, Autumn colour and New England.

Plant it with: Christmas fern, Foamflower, Wild ginger, Solomon's seal, Hosta and Oakleaf hydrangea.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees, flies and other pollinating insects. Birds eat the blue-black fruits, and the branches provide cover and nesting sites.

• Golden canker causes yellow-orange bark, branch dieback and sometimes tree death. Cut affected branches back into healthy wood in dry weather, disinfect tools between cuts and reduce drought stress.
• Leaf scorch causes brown leaf edges in heat, wind or dry soil. Water deeply, maintain mulch and provide afternoon shade.
• Leaf spots and powdery mildew can mark foliage. Improve air circulation without heavy pruning, water at soil level and clear badly affected fallen leaves.
• Root rot and decline can follow waterlogging or deep planting. Keep the root flare at soil level and correct drainage rather than adding more water.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, although species-specific information is limited. The fruits are not regarded as a food crop; discourage eating them because they may cause stomach upset.

• Giant dogwood (Cornus controversa)

  Also has alternate leaves and tiered branches, but usually becomes a substantially larger tree with larger leaves and broader flower clusters.

• Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)

  Has opposite leaves, conspicuous white or pink flower bracts and red fruits; pagoda dogwood has alternate leaves, small unbracted flowers and blue-black fruits.

• Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)

  Usually forms a suckering shrub with opposite leaves and white fruits on red stalks, rather than a distinctly tiered tree with alternate leaves and blue-black fruits.

The common name refers to its pagoda-like tiers of branches, while alternifolia means alternate-leaved, describing its unusual leaf arrangement among dogwoods.

Propagation. Take softwood cuttings in early summer and root them in a humid, sheltered propagator. Seed is slower and may need a warm period followed by cold stratification, sometimes taking two seasons to germinate; seedlings may differ from the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Cornus alternifolia

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Native range

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and Maine.

Measured

Average height 297 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.