I would like to plant a pink flowering dogwood tree in my front yard. I want a smaller, shorter tree as the spot is somewhat close to the house. The soil is clayish, but I can amend. The location gets afternoon sun. Any suggestions on a good dogwood for this spot?
How short and small? If you really have room for a tree one I take to be the 'Hanros' Kousa seems to be doing well in Seattle plantings, so far (none are big yet). The way to deal with soil assumed to be hostile is to either plant selections adapted to that type of soil or get soil you think is better for what you want to grow, pile that on top of the existing soil, and plant in that - without combining the two together. Do not plant long-term plants in amended planting holes or small beds. Amended beds are suitable only for growing of short-term plants with small root systems such as flowering annuals and annual vegetables.
I can vouch for Cornus kousa "Satomi". It's pink flowers (bracts). I planted 2 this spring. Gets to be 10-15'. Out of about 20 different species of trees that I planted this year (zone 7), these dogwoods are definitely in my top 5 for growing well, flowering well, and untouched by any pests. Mine are in dappled sun all day, but they can be grown in more sun than I have.
Beware of underestimating tree heights. Sites almost never list the mature height and since Cornus kousa is a relative newcomer you are unlikely to encounter a 30 yr old specimen in the USA. I've seen Satomi listed as "reaches 12 to 15 feet tall over about 6 to 8 years" which sound about right for here in Vancouver. I'd expect that after 20 years it might be easily be at least 20 feet high and wide. That's small compared with a beech or deodar cedar, but still not as small as many of us are hoping for. Often we plant a "small" tree like a dogwood or japanese maple and expect it to never exceeed 15' high and wide. Here in Vancouver there are many mature 30' japanese maples and 25' florida dogwoods, The young Kousa's I've seen are pretty vigorous so I expect them to reach a similar size eventually.. To have something I can keep in the under 12' size range I've decided to give up on "real" trees and replace my dogwood with a standard Hybiscus syriacus. I've seen them used as a "mini" street tree here in Vancouver and they look lovely. I know that they can be kept to the size I want and still flower well.
Kousa have in fact been grown in North America long enough for full-sized examples to be known - more than double as tall or wide as figures given above. I have seen 'Satomi' infested with dogwood leaf spot and twig blight right in the garden center, on more than one occasion. When you choose a pink Kousa there is less resistance than among the white ones, you have to try and find more resistant pink ones than 'Satomi' if you wish to avoid "anthracnose" with some assurance.
Thank you to each of you who have taken the time to reply. It seems I may be wishful thinking as far as a dogwood in the front of the house is concerned due to size restrictions (Hanros) and the clay soil (Satomi). That Hanros sure is a beauty. Dogwood was one of my mother's favorite trees so I have a soft spot for it in my heart and will find someplace in the yard for one of them. Thank you again, all. Noor
There are a few smaller-growing (dwarfish) cultivars in existence but I don't know about finding one at a retail outlet these days, especially with the woody plant selection having fallen off as the public has become focused on small flowering plants and vegetable starts. Try the web sites of nearby mail-order specialists like Gossler Farms (Springfield) and Greer Gardens (Eugene), see if they have anything. I wouldn't expect a 'Satomi' to die, it's just that the display could be marred many years - same as with other susceptible kinds (Pacific dogwood tends to be worse than the others).
Thank you, Ron, for those suggestions. It might be worth some nursery hopping down south a bit. I still would love to put a dogwood in that spot and a "dwarfish" cultivar could be the answer to my problem. I am so impressed with the photos I saw of both Hanros and Satomi dogwoods; it sounds like the Hanros is more disease resistant. Is this so? In any event, I have a spot for one of them where it can grow without needing to be pruned so its natural shape can freely develop. Thanks everyone for your suggestions. This is my first time on this forum and it's been a great experience. I appreciate your help. Noor
An online search I did a few years back on anthracnose (Discula destructiva) resistance in Cornus kousa produced several interesting articles, particularly this one which details a multi-year study evaluating disease resistance in different dogwood cultivars. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/nursery/metria/metria08/m84.pdf. Another interesting article emphasizes the influence of overhead sprinkling in anthracnose susceptibility. http://joa.isa-arbor.com/request.asp?JournalID=1&ArticleID=2320&Type=2. There seems to be a wide range of resistance levels among C. kousa cultivars and C. kousa x florida hybrids. Good luck in finding a suitable plant. At their best they are certainly lovely.
Hi dt-van, I wonder if the sometimes unremitting rain in Oregon would have a similar effect on C Kousa as the sprinkler system did in the second study. I guess in the final analysis, I have my heart set on one and will give it a try, risk or no. It's good to have all the cautionary advice on different cultivars. Noor
