White Dogwood Tree

What is more a harbinger of spring, a sign that the warm weather is coming, than the rafts of pure white blossoms of the white dogwood tree among a forest of trees that are still bare? Fortunately, this amazingly beautiful little tree is perfectly happy to be grown in a yard near a patio, an outbuilding, or at the edge of a forest. Since it only grows to about 25 feet high with a 25-foot spread and sometimes not even that large, the yard does not even need to be very big to accommodate it.

The White Dogwood Tree Is Hardy

The tree grows best in hardiness zones 5 to 9 and appreciates moist, acidic loam, though it can tolerate clay or sandy soil. It’s a moderate grower and adds 13 to 24 inches per year. It prefers full sun to part shade.

The tree, which is the state tree of both Missouri and Virginia, blooms from April to May, though in southern climates, the white flowers can appear a couple of weeks earlier. The flowers, by the way, aren’t really flowers at all but white bracts that surround the real flowers, which are green and inconspicuous.

White Dogwood Tree Has Exotic Foliage

The trees leaves are from 4 to 8 inches long and oval and have an unusual veining that make them look quilted. The tree itself needs little pruning, and seedlings can be grown from softwood cuttings. The tree can even be grown from seed, though the seeds need to be stratified to help them germinate. This means they need to be put in close layers in a moist growing medium.

The White Dogwood Tree Has Stunning Blooms

This little tree delights the eye not only with its white flowers in the spring but also with its fall foliage, is beautiful scarlet, yellow, or orange. The flowers give way to brilliant red, 1/2-inch-long berries that are found in tight clusters in October and eagerly eaten by birds and other wildlife. The bark and leaves are browsed by deer.

For year round interest and ease of care, it’s hard to beat the white dogwood.