Arguably the crown precious stone of theCornusgenus , the blossoming dogwood tree ( C. florida ) offers mickle of lulu in received species modality , no cultivars ask .

But for even more cosmetic options , why not check out some cultivatedC. floridavarieties ?

With over a hundred cultivar of flowering dogwood available in various sizes , forms , and colors , a gardener has quite the pick to make .

A close up horizontal image of the pink flowers of a flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) growing in the garden.

Photo credit: JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University.

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Add assorted growth rates , bloom times , and disease resistance to the mix , and that choice becomes even hard .

To help you on this journeying , you ’ll postulate a guide . Not needs an onetime , wizened , and sage guide like Gandalf or Yoda , though . I ’ll have to do , at least to begin .

A close up vertical image of white flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) in full bloom in the spring garden.

Photo credit: JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University.

With this template to 13 of the best flowering dogwood tree cultivars , we ’ll be separating the wheat from the chaff , the cream from the non - creamy craw , the extraordinary from the extra average .

At least , it reveals what I consider to be the 13 best . Everyone ’s entitled to their opinion , ripe ?

Here ’s the lineup :

A close up vertical image of ‘Appalachian Spring’ dogwood growing in the garden with light green flowers.

Best Flowering Dogwoods

Before we begin , it ’s important to know the sort of tree you want , along with where you intend on planting it .

And if you need a quick primer onflowering cornel and how to produce them , check out our article .

Also , I ’ll be using the terms bloom / flower and bract somewhat much interchangeably .

A close up square image of the pink and white flowers of a ‘Cherokee Chief’ dogwood growing in bright sunshine.

Even though they ’re modified leave-taking rather than true flower petals , the foliage bract of flowering dogwood tree pretty much role as efflorescence , at least ornamentally .

Okay , time to talk trees!Andshrubs , if we ’re being technical .

1. Appalachian Spring

Since cultivars are either deliberately multiply or incidentally discovered , they often have epic , superhero - esque blood stories . ‘ Appalachian Spring ’ is a perfect instance .

In the 1970s , Discula destructiva – aka Discula or dogwood anthracnose – was discovered in the US after arriving from origins unknown .

Infecting and severely reducing nativeCornuspopulations , this deadly disease was well on its way to dooming American dogwood .

A close up vertical image of the variegated foliage of a Cherokee Daybreak flowering dogwood growing in the garden.

But all was not miss . In 1990 , a certainC. floridaspecimen was plant turn wild at Camp David on Catoctin Mountain in Maryland by the University of Tennessee ’s Mark Windham .

wield a moderate to impregnable resistance to theD. destructivafungus , this Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree was used in the University ’s dogwood breeding programme to yield ‘ Appalachian Spring ’ – a fast - produce , white - bracted cultivar with larger - than - stock fruit , an upright habit , a height and cattle farm of 20 to 30 feet , and an exceptionally solid resistivity to Discula anthracnose .

If you ’re wait for a heroically tough dogwood , ‘ Appalachian Spring ’ is the miscellanea for you .

A close up square image of ‘Cherokee Princess’ dogwood with white flowers growing in the garden pictured on a soft focus background.

2. Cherokee Chief

A standard florescence dogwood has white-hot peak bracts , each with a red mountain pass at its apex .

‘ Cherokee Chief ’ proffer a delightful inversion of this , with ruby - crimson flower bract that are notched with white . These bracts are also snowy where their Qaeda meet the true blossom , which draws the eye .

find out and introduced into the craft by Issac J. Hawkersmith of Winchester , Tennessee , ‘ Cherokee Chief ’ has a height and spread of 15 to 30 feet , as well as ruby-red growth on new leaves .

A close up horizontal image of the flowers of Cornus florida ‘Cherokee Sunset’ dogwood growing in the garden.

‘ Cherokee Chief ’

It ’s also deserving noting that this tree ’s rubor is really , reallyrich , make believe it a very popular red - bracted miscellany , if not themostpopular . It unfeignedly is the chief .

To purchase a ‘ Cherokee Chief ’ of your own , head on over to Fast Growing Trees .

A square image of a ‘Cloud 9’ dogwood tree in full bloom growing in the garden.

3. Cherokee Daybreak

A white - blossom multifariousness from Commercial Nursery in Decherd , Tennessee , Cherokee Daybreak ™ ( aka ‘ Daybreak ’ ) features olive green parting , each with yellow - white variegation that both holds its coloration and fails to blacken well in live condition , which is quite impressive for a vary plant life .

Additionally , this tree boasts fantastic opposition to anthracnose – another telling exploit for foliation with variegation .

It has a vigorous outgrowth charge per unit and an unsloped substance abuse that reaches mature summit and breadth of 15 to 20 foot .

A close up horizontal image of a Plena dogwood flower pictured in light sunshine with green foliage in the background.

Come autumn , the leaf variegation becomes pinkish , while the greener parts of the foliage move around an telling red .

4. Cherokee Princess

Another bloodless - flowering variety , ‘ Cherokee Princess ’ is just practiced than the standard . terminal of write up .

Reaching matured acme and spreads of 20 feet , this cultivar has electrical resistance against smirch anthracnose and canker sore – two condition that can really mess up a dogwood .

to boot , it begin its bud break in other spring , even earlier than a even inflorescence dogwood does .

A close up square image of the foliage of a Red Pygmy dogwood shrub growing in the garden.

esthetically , this tree boasts threatening anthesis and larger - than - normal blooms that reach five column inch in diameter .

This , in combination with the profuse blooming , make for a splendid , almost blindingly white canopy in springtime .

‘ Cherokee Princess ’

A horizontal image of ‘Spring Grove’ dogwoods in full bloom in a cemetary.

A consistent loss leader inCornuscultivar evaluations , ‘ Cherokee Princess ’ certainly deserves its royalty .

To add up ‘ Cherokee Princess ’ to your collection ofCornuscrown precious stone , you’re able to corrupt one in a # 3 containerat Nature Hills Nursery .

5. Cherokee Sunset

The terminal “ Cherokee ” cultivar on our lean run by Cherokee Sunset ™ … how meet .

Another origination from Commercial Nursery , Cherokee Sunset ™ is essentially the red - bracted variation of Cherokee Daybreak ™ .

Reaching heights and spread head of 25 feet , this one also boast resistor against anthracnose , as well as a vigorous growth rate .

A square image of the white flowers and green foliage of a Constellation dogwood growing in the garden.

The leaves of this variety display pinkish - reddened new growing before maturing to special K with yellow - variegated margins , which have a similar resistance to scorch . In fall , the leaves turn pinkish to red to purple .

Do n’t get me amiss , Cherokee Sunset ™ truly suffer out on its own . But with a Cherokee Sunset ™ to go along with your Cherokee Daybreak ™ , you ’ll have a one - two punch of vibrant diversification and beautiful blooms .

6. Cloud 9

With densely - grow white bracts , ‘ Cloud 9 ’ – sometimes list as ‘ Cloud Nine ’ – will put a bloom loveroncloud nine , without a doubt .

Patented in 1961 by Chase Nursery in Chase , Alabama , ‘ Cloud 9 ’ grows 15 to 20 feet tall and spacious .

The aforementioned leafage bracts get so densely that they overlap with each other , and a boring growth rate makes the industrial plant wanton to care for in sub - par conditions .

A square image of the pink and green flowers of Stellar Pink dogwood pictured on a soft focus background.

‘ Cloud 9 ’

speak of , ‘ Cloud 9 ’ bear methamphetamine hydrochloride , Charles Percy Snow , and the cold specially well for aC. floridatree .

For garden just on the border of USDA Zone 5 and/or that confront particularly toughened winters , ‘ Cloud 9 ’ is the cultivar for you .

A close up horizontal image of the variegated foliage of a dogwood tree pictured on a soft focus background.

attempt to get on ‘ Cloud 9 ’ ? Snag one for yourself in a # 3 containerfrom Nature Hills Nursery .

7. Compacta

Not all cultivar names are these passing creative , imagery - gourmandize titles that go beautiful , yet supply no helpful descriptors . Some of them will just flash straight with you . Take ‘ Compacta , ’ for instance .

reach out an itty - bitty mature sizing of four feet in height and width in eight to 10 years , the white - blossom ‘ Compacta ’ takes its scented clip to reach a compact size .

Its low frame get it hone for tally into tight smirch where other dogwood may not fit .

A close up horizontal image of the dark red foliage of a ‘Xanthocarpa’ dogwood growing in the garden.

If you ’re the type of plant parent that thinks they farm up so fast – toofast – then conjure ‘ Compacta ’ is the perfect match for your nurturing parenting style .

8. Plena

Technically , Plena , aka Alba Plena or “ Pluribracteata , ” is less of a specific cultivar , and more of a haul - all term for all the white flowering dogwoods with three-fold to semi - forked blooms . Yes , you read that right .

Reaching top and banquet of 20 feet , Plena specimens display up to eight bracts per flower , making each bloom look kinda rose - like .

And if that was n’t enough , they also exhibit electrical resistance to espy anthracnose . Good thing , too – otherwise , there ’d be double the bracts for the disease to mud up .

A close up horizontal image of a single pink ‘Cherokee Chief’ flower pictured on a soft focus background.

Unfortunately , Plena specimens are bootless . Or I suppose it ’s golden , if youdon’twant a bunch of woodland critter flocking to the drupes .

puppet as large asdeerand pitch-dark bear may find the fruits tasty , so I would n’t fault you if this is a feature film you choose for .

9. Red Pygmy

postulate a small florescence dogwood withredbracts , rather than white ones ? Red Pygmy ® , aka ‘ Rutnut ’ is your shrub .

Reaching a small height of five to seven feet with a thin girth of two to five foot at maturity , thisC. floridacultivar flaunts prominent rosebush - red efflorescence bracts , each with blank notches at their apex .

Similarly to ‘ Compacta , ’ Red Pygmy ® can take up to a 10 to reach full size .

Red Pygmy

Short , skinny , and splendid : that ’s Red Pygmy ® in a nutshell . It ’s availableat Nature Hills Nursery .

10. Spring Grove

select as a seedling from a memorial park in Spring Grove , Cincinnati , ‘ Spring Grove ’ is unique in that its branches produce two to three last bud , rather than just one .

As a resolution , this cultivar yieldsa tonof blooming and fruits . The livid bloom are also quite gravid , reaching ‘ Cherokee Princess ’ size of it of about five inch in diameter .

With a mature tiptop and spread of 20 to 30 feet and beautiful , cherry-red - purpleness foliage in fall , ‘ Spring Grove ’ brings the esthetic even when the fruits and flowers are n’t around .

11. Stellar

Back in the late twentieth one C , when dogwood tree anthracnose and dogwood woodborer were becoming pregnant problem , many smart horticulturalists worked tirelessly to find solutions .

The solution ? specimen like those from the Stellar serial .

Developed by Elvin R. Orton , Jr. in the 1970s and released by Rutgers University in the 1990s , the Stellar series of hybrid flowering dogwoods – akaCornusxrutgersensis – were created by interbreed the ornamentally awesomeC. floridawith the disease - tolerantC. kousa .

This reproduction yielded a smattering of various sterile cultivars , all with a secure resistance to dogwood tree anthracnose , dogwood borers , andpowdery mildew .

configuration ® ,aka ‘ Rutcan , ’ has whitened bract , an vertical form , and a vigorous outgrowth rate .

configuration

It reaches a tiptop of 20 feet and a spread of 17 foot , and it ’s available in start size of it of four to seven feetat Fast Growing Trees .

Stellar Pink ® (‘Rutgan ’ ) is a vigorous , pink - bracted variety show with a dense , upright growing wont .

Stellar Pink

It grows to be about 23 feet tall and 18 feet wide , and you’re able to find itavailable at Nature Hills Nursery .

12. Welchii

With Skittles , you could practically taste the rainbow . And with ‘ Welchii , ’ you could practicallyseeit .

A white - bracted cultivar , ‘ Welchii ’ wields unripe leave-taking with white and pinkish variegation , and said leafage turn rosy violent to reddish - purple in fall .

Add a jaundiced sun and a blueish sky to the scene , andpresto , you ’ve get ROY G. BIV !

take by Mark Welch in the 1920s and introduce by Cole Nursery in Ohio around 1930 , this tree grows 20 to 30 foot in both summit and width .

And while its variegationistop - mountain pass , it unfortunately lacks the singe resistance of the other vary cultivars on our list . commemorate that ‘ Welchii ’ definitely appreciates some tincture .

13. Xanthocarpa

The last entry on our list , ‘ Xanthocarpa ’ carves out greatness in an area untouched by the other diverseness : yield color .

measure 15 to 20 feet marvellous and wide at maturity , ‘ Xanthocarpa ’ has scandalmongering fruit , rather than the distinctive red ones .

This yellowness also extends to the foliage , which is tinged with a moderately yellow - common before turning a gorgeous reddish - purple in fall . The prime are blank .

In Ancient Greek mythology , golden apples had power . And in the landscape , yellowCornusfruits manage a similar might , at least aesthetically .

It’s a Dogwood Smorgasbord!

Symbolically , anyway – you would n’t want to run through these plants . But hey , at least they search skilful !

These 13 types of unfolding dogwoods , while undeniably awe-inspiring , are just the beginning .

Have fun with these , and I wish you luck in searching for varieties beyond what I ’ve deal on this list , if that ’s what you ’d like to do ! It ’s voiceless to find a bad one , that ’s for sure .

Todiscover more about dogwoods , feast your eyeballs on these bad boys next :

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Joe Butler