Dogwood tree care comes down to four habits: plant in morning sun with afternoon shade, in acidic, well-drained soil; water deeply every week for the first two summers, 1 to 2 inches in dry spells; keep a 2- to 3-inch mulch ring off the trunk; and prune right after flowering. Kousa dogwoods take more sun.
Tennessee Wholesale Nursery is the family-owned wholesale nursery in Altamont, Tennessee, near McMinnville, growing trees, shrubs, perennials, wetland and native plants, and this guide comes from the people who grow our dogwoods. Our dogwood trees ship as dormant bare-root stock, so care starts the day the bundle arrives, not the first spring it blooms. A dormant tree has no leaves to feed yet, which gives its roots time to settle into new soil before summer heat asks anything of them. That is why planting depth, deep watering through the first two summers and a wide ring of mulch matter most. The guide below takes each stage in order, from choosing the spot to the first pruning cut. It also shows where white, pink, red and kousa dogwoods part ways, because kousa blooms later, takes more afternoon sun and resists the leaf diseases that trouble flowering dogwoods. For the terms that come with bare-root stock, see our bare-root information page.
Dogwood tree care: three to plant
- White Dogwood Tree: bare-root, in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes, listed for zones 5 to 9.
- Red Dogwood Tree: bare-root, in a 2-4 foot size, for the deepest color of the three.
- Kousa Dogwood Tree: bare-root, in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes, listed for zones 5 to 8.
1. Pick a spot with afternoon shade
Flowering dogwoods do best with morning sun and shade through the hot afternoon. They tolerate full sun, but the Clemson Extension dogwood fact sheet lists partial shade as their preference. Choose moist, well-drained soil that is acidic, about pH 5.5 to 6.0, and high in organic matter. Avoid low spots where water stands after rain, and favor a site sheltered from strong, drying wind.
Tip: Kousa dogwoods handle more afternoon sun, so give the sunniest spot to a kousa.
2. Plant the dormant bare-root tree
Plant while the tree is still dormant. Unpack the bundle, untangle the roots and soak them in water for 3 to 6 hours, as the Arbor Day Foundation advises. Dig a hole wider than the roots need, then set the tree at the depth it grew in the nursery; a dogwood planted too deep can decline. Backfill with the native soil, firm it gently and water it in. Our planting instructions cover each step.
Tip: Skip fertilizer and potting soil in the planting hole; backfill with the soil you dug out.
3. Water deeply through the first two summers
Dogwoods are shallow-rooted, and new trees depend on you for water until their roots spread. For the first two years, check the soil 4 to 6 inches down each week, as University of Maryland Extension advises, and water when it feels dry. In dry spells, give 1 to 2 inches of water a week, applied slowly so it soaks in. Keep the soil moist, never soggy, and watch closely in July and August.
Tip: Water slowly at the dripline, the outer edge of the branches, so it reaches the roots.
4. Mulch wide and keep it off the trunk
Mulch keeps the shallow roots cool and holds moisture between waterings. Spread 2 to 3 inches of wood mulch in a ring at least 8 to 10 feet across around an established tree; a newly planted tree starts with a 3-foot circle that widens as it grows. Pull the mulch a few inches back from the trunk, since mulch piled against bark invites rot. Top it up each spring as it breaks down.
Tip: A mulch ring also keeps mowers and string trimmers away from the trunk.
5. Prune right after the blooms fade
Prune dogwoods in early summer, right after flowering, which lowers the risk of disease entering fresh cuts. Late fall and early winter work too. Remove dead, broken or crossing branches and sprouts at the base, cutting just outside the collar where a branch meets the trunk. Dead wood can come off any time of year. Leave the cuts bare; skip pruning paint and wound dressing.
Tip: Young trees need little pruning; shape them only where branches rub or crowd.
Flowering dogwood vs kousa dogwood care
White, pink and red dogwoods are all flowering dogwoods, so they share the care above: afternoon shade, acidic soil and steady water. Our White Dogwood Tree, Pink Dogwood Tree and Red Dogwood Tree differ in bloom color, not in what they need from you. Kousa dogwood is a separate species with a different rhythm. It blooms several weeks later than flowering dogwoods, after its leaves are out, and its bloom season runs longer. Clemson Extension rates kousa as more tolerant of afternoon sun and more resistant to disease, and University of Maryland Extension notes it handles drought better. That makes the Kousa Dogwood Tree the better choice for a sunnier, drier spot. Its fruit, though, offers little value to native wildlife, so for a wildlife planting, a flowering dogwood earns its place. Flowering dogwoods reach about 15 to 20 feet in sun and up to 40 feet in shade; kousa reaches 15 to 30 feet.
- Kousa Dogwood Seedlings: seedlings from 6 to 24 inches, in packs of 100 or more, for larger kousa plantings.
- Pink Dogwood Tree: bare-root, in a 2-4 foot size, a flowering dogwood listed for zones 5 to 9.
Care and keeping: Watch for spot anthracnose, which leaves brown spots on leaves, and powdery mildew, which distorts leaves and drops them early. Kousa dogwoods resist both better. The dogwood borer goes after stressed or newly planted trees, especially through trunk wounds, so steady water and a mulch ring that keeps mowers back are your best defense.
Frequently asked questions
Does dogwood need full sun?
No. Flowering dogwoods, including white, pink and red, prefer partial shade, especially shade in the hot afternoon, though they tolerate full sun with steady watering. Morning sun with afternoon shade is the ideal spot. Kousa dogwoods handle more afternoon sun than flowering dogwoods, so they suit brighter sites.
When should you prune dogwood trees?
Prune right after the tree finishes flowering, in early summer, which lowers the risk of disease. Late fall and early winter, from November into December, also work. Dead or broken branches can be removed any time of year. Avoid heavy cuts on a young tree; it needs only light shaping.
How is kousa dogwood care different?
Kousa dogwood needs the same acidic, well-drained soil, mulch and first-year watering as a flowering dogwood. The differences: it takes more afternoon sun, handles drought better and resists disease better. It blooms several weeks later, after its leaves open, so prune it after that later bloom.
Dogwood types at a glance
| Need | White, pink and red (flowering) | Kousa |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Morning sun, afternoon shade | Takes more afternoon sun |
| Soil | Acidic, pH 5.5 to 6.0, well-drained | Acidic, well-drained |
| Bloom | Spring, weeks before kousa | Several weeks later, after leaves emerge |
| Water | 1 to 2 inches a week in dry spells | Same, with better drought tolerance |
| Disease | Watch for spot anthracnose and powdery mildew | More disease resistant |
| Mature height | 15 to 20 feet in sun, up to 40 feet in shade | 15 to 30 feet |
| Pruning | Right after flowering | Right after its later bloom |
Every dogwood here sits beside our other shade and flowering species in the Trees collection.
