How to Grow Dogwood (Cornus)

If there's one plant guaranteed to light up your garden in winter, it's cornus. But there's more to this shrub than fiery coloured stems. Some species have pretty variegated leaves, while others are grown as ornamental trees and produce a stunning display of white or pink flowers in spring.

Cornus (dogwood) is a group of deciduous shrubs and trees, which gardeners grow either for their colourful winter stems or their summer flowers. The Cornus genus also includes one herbaceous perennial, Cornus canadensis (creeping dogwood), which is a lovely groundcover plant.

If you want to grow dogwood for its vibrant winter colour, look at cultivars of Cornus sanguinea, Cornus alba or Cornus sericea. Plants in the flowering dogwood family, such as Cornus kousa, Cornus mas and Cornus controversa, look quite different, with shapely silhouettes of tiered branches and masses of spring flowers. The two families have different care and pruning requirements – we'll cover both in this guide to growing dogwood.

 

Where to plant dogwood

It's worth thinking carefully about where you plant dogwood so you can show the plants off to best effect. It's common to group dogwoods with colourful stems together for impact, but if you don't have much space to work with, try planting one in front of an evergreen climber or a dark grey fence to make the colour pop. You can also create a striking display by pairing dogwood with Ophiopogon 'Nigrescens' or Hakonechloa 'All Gold'. Flowering cornus trees and shrubs work well on the edge of woodland borders or as a specimen plant in smaller gardens.

Cornus looks its best when planted in full sun, though all species can cope with partial shade. Flowering dogwood prefers moist, well-drained soil. If you have slightly acidic soil, Asian dogwood – cultivars of Cornus kousa – is a good choice, whereas if your soil is more alkaline, opt for North American species like Cornus florida. Dogwoods grown for their stem colour prefer damp, even boggy, soil. Cornus alba, in particular, is a useful shrub if you have permanently wet or clay soil.

Dogwoods prefer to be planted in the ground, but you can grow them in containers as long as you keep the soil moist and allow for vigorous root growth. Choose a deep, large planter with plenty of space for the roots to grow, and make sure you water it deeply and regularly.

 

When to plant dogwood

Bare root dogwood hedge plants and shrubs need to be planted between late autumn and early spring. You can theoretically plant container-grown trees and shrubs at any time of year, but autumn is the best time, followed by early spring. Try to avoid planting dogwoods in summer as they prefer damp soils and it's harder for the plants to establish their roots during dry spells.

 

How to plant dogwood

Mix some compost or other organic matter into the soil before planting to help the soil retain moisture. Most dogwoods prefer slightly acidic soil, so you can use ericaceous compost or acidic leaf mould to improve the soil.

Water your plant well before removing it from its container, then dig a large hole twice the width of the rootball. Plant your dogwood at the same depth as it was in the pot. On flowering dogwoods, you may notice a slight bulge near the base of the stem – this marks the join between the rootstock and the top part of the plant (scion). This bulge (called the graft union) should sit just above the soil.

Cornus shrubs don't need any support, but those trained as trees will need staking to keep them upright until they establish strong roots. You may also want to use a tree guard to protect against damage from rabbits or deer.

Space cornus 50–60 cm apart when planting a dogwood hedge or a dense winter display. Flowering dogwoods planted as specimen trees or shrubs need more space to grow, based on their eventual height and spread.

 

How to care for dogwood

Cornus grown for their winter stem colour are very hardy and resilient, requiring no specific care other than watering during dry periods. Adding a layer of mulch in spring helps with moisture retention, and applying fertiliser after pruning can give the plants a boost if the soil is poor. Dogwoods live a long time, but as plants age, they produce fewer shoots. When you notice this happening, take some cuttings so you can replace the dogwoods with new, vigorous plants.

Flowering dogwoods need regular watering for the first three or four years after planting. Aim for the soil to be moist, but not waterlogged, and let the top few centimeters dry out between waterings. Cornus leaves will often wilt on hot days and perk up again in the evening, so if they're looking a bit floppy it's not necessarily a sign the plant needs water.

Cornus is hardy in the UK, but wrapping container-grown plants in fleece in very cold weather will help protect their roots.

When to prune dogwood

Dogwoods grown for their winter stem colour need hard pruning in early spring. Cut back all the stems to a couple of buds (around 5 cm) above ground level. Although this may seem drastic, it's the best way to get those bright winter colours, as the stem colour fades as the branches mature. Cutting back dogwood in this way keeps the plant to a manageable height of 1–2 m. Avoid pruning newly planted dogwoods for the first couple of years to let the plant establish itself.

Flowering dogwoods need less pruning. You can trim branches off young plants as they grow to encourage a shapely silhouette. This is best done between late autumn and early spring when the plant is dormant. Once your dogwood tree matures, put the secateurs away and leave it alone! 

 

How to propagate dogwood

Dogwoods such as Cornus alba and Cornus sanguinea are easy to propagate. The most reliable method is to take hardwood cuttings in winter and plant them out the following year. You can also use layering to produce new plants.

Flowering dogwoods are harder to propagate, and most commercially available plants are grafted. If you want to give it a go, you can try taking softwood cuttings in early summer.

 

Common problems

Dogwoods are fairly problem-free. If you have any issues with dull stem colour or flowering, this is most likely to be because the plant isn't getting enough sun. They can be affected by root diseases, including Phytophora and honey fungus. Cornus anthracnose is a fungal disease that can cause leaf damage and dieback on Cornus florida, Cornus nuttallii and Cornus kousa.

 

Our favourite varieties of dogwood

Cornus alba 'Sibirica' (Siberian dogwood) is one of the brightest winter dogwoods with vibrant crimson stems that contrast beautifully with the vivid green leaf buds in spring. The foliage matures to dark green before turning red in autumn.

Cornus 'Midwinter Fire' will light up your garden with fiery stems that start out orange at the base and blend through to red near the tips. It's less vigorous than other dogwoods, making it a good option for smaller borders. 

Cornus alba 'Elegantissima' is a bushy shrub with cream and green variegated leaves that turn orange and red in autumn. Once the leaves have fallen, the bright red stems offer structure and colour through the winter.

Cornus flaviramea, also known as golden-twig dogwood, has brilliant yellow-green stems that shine in winter, particularly if planted with black mondo grass (for contrast) or other colours of dogwood.

 

FAQ

What are dogwoods?

Dogwoods are deciduous shrubs and trees in the Cornus genus, which are grown for their variegated leaves, flowers and bark colour. Cornus sanguinea (common dogwood) is native to the UK and is often used as a hedging plant.

Are dogwood berries edible?

Some dogwood berries are edible, but others can cause stomach upsets, so make sure you know which variety you're picking. Cornus kousa berries (which look a little bit like lychees) and Cornus mas berries are edible, though the latter are better cooked. Berries from the native Cornus sanguinea and other dogwoods grown for winter colour are not edible.

When should you cut back dogwood?

Cornus species grown for their colourful winter stems should be cut back to near the ground in early spring. If the stems are left to mature, they'll lose their bright hues. Flowering dogwood doesn't need any pruning once mature, and young plants only need light pruning to help with shaping.

Can you plant dogwood in a container?

Dogwoods grow best in the ground, but you can plant a dogwood in a container as long as there's space for it to grow and you don't let the soil dry out. Plants grown in containers may also need some protection from cold temperatures over winter. To have the best chance of success, choose slower-growing varieties, like Cornus kousa.