Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is the queen of the springtime woods. It also happens to be the state tree of Virginia, and to me there are few sights as lovely as this tree blooming underneath the canopy of emerging foliage in the forest. Not only does this tree look good in the natural world, but it also graces many a residential landscape where it tends to bloom at the same time as this area's imported spring treasure, the Azalea. The white from the Dogwood hovering over the pinks, purples and reds from the Azaleas make for a classic combination.
What most people refer as the flower on Dogwoods are actually modified leaves called bracts. The real flower is in the center of the bracts. These flowers and bracts open in April and produce very attractive red fruit that is relished by many different birds as it ripens in the fall. One thing that makes these trees so showy is the fact that the blooms occur before the leaves emerge. However the leaves are attractive in their own right, turning rich shades of red, orange and burgundy early in the fall. Even without foliage Dogwoods are attractive, offering the winter landscape a piece of artistic living sculpture. It is truly a four season tree.
For all that Flowering Dogwood has going for it, there are just as many things that can wrong with it, and many novice or seasoned gardeners alike have been disappointed by this tree. Perhaps the biggest mistake made with Dogwoods is planting it in the wrong location. Being an understory tree they prefer light shade or filtered sun. Though some of you may have seen local examples of this tree thriving in full sun, just remember that these would be the exceptions to the rule. One other consideration is to make absolutely sure that your planting site has good drainage; a Dogwood in soggy soil is a dying Dogwood. Conversely, this tree is also not very drought tolerant and will need supplemental watering in dry summers.
If the Flowering Dogwood is under stress from poor soil, hot sun, too much or too little water, it will be more susceptible to a host of diseases and insects that can plague weak trees. Perhaps the greatest threats are fungal diseases, particularly powdery mildew and anthracnose. Fortunately the latter tends to be more of a problem west of Hampton Roads. The biggest insect threat to Dogwoods are borers and they are more likely to infect trees under stress or those whose bark has been damaged (so keep your string trimmer and lawn mower far away).
Plant breeders have been working successfully to develop different varieties that are disease resistant, and there are a number of superior cultivars and hybrids. The Cherokee and the newer Appalachian series are both disease resistant. The Rutgers hybrids are a cross between Flowering Dogwood and the disease-resistant Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa) from Asia. I usually recommend the Kousa to gardeners who have less than ideal conditions for Flowering Dogwood. Even though they are not native here, they are much more tolerant of adverse conditions.
With careful site selection and a little TLC you can grow one of these beautiful natives. Right now we have a fairly good selection, and we also have a pamphlet with tips to successful Dogwood growing. Stop by the store to pick up your copy, or email me and we can send you one.
Les Parks
There aren't too many blooming perennials that look like you dumped a bucket of paint on the ground when they are at their peak. Phlox subulata or Creeping Phlox (other aliases include Thrift and Moss Pinks) is one that comes to mind for me. This low-growing perennial forms a dense mat of needle-like evergreen foliage. If this plant is happy you can barely see the foliage for the incredible number of star-shaped flowers. There are several cultivars available but basically the flowers can be described as white (some with pink eyes), pink and lavender-blue. I love to see this plant cascading over the side of a retaining wall, and having cheery yellow daffodils popping up through it makes the vignette even better.
