White Dogwood Tree – Live Bare Root Plant – Cornus florida – 12-24in Tall

Overview

Transform your garden into a picturesque haven with the majestic white dogwood tree. This exquisite live bare root plant, scientifically known as Cornus florida, is a highly sought-after ornamental tree renowned for its breathtaking beauty and seasonal charm. Measuring 12-24 inches tall upon arrival, these young trees are ready to establish themselves in your landscape. The flowering dogwood plant is a true American classic, celebrated for its iconic white bracts that appear in abundance during spring, creating a dazzling display against emerging green foliage. Beyond its spring spectacle, the tree offers lush green leaves in summer that transition to brilliant shades of red and purple in autumn, followed by bright red berries that provide sustenance for birds throughout winter. This makes the white dogwood tree a four-season interest plant, providing continuous visual appeal and ecological benefits.

Commonly referred to as the American dogwood, this deciduous tree is a native species that thrives across various regions. Its elegant branching structure and moderate growth rate make it an excellent choice for a focal point in a garden, as an understory tree, or even planted in groups for a more dramatic effect. We provide healthy Cornus florida bare root specimens, carefully prepared for planting to ensure a strong start in your garden. With proper care, your dogwood will grow into a mature, resilient tree, offering shade, beauty, and a touch of natural elegance to your outdoor living space for many years to come.

Key Benefits

Choosing a white dogwood tree for your landscape brings a multitude of benefits, enhancing both the aesthetic and ecological value of your property. This iconic tree is a fantastic investment for any gardener looking for reliable beauty.

• Stunning Spring Blooms: The most striking feature of the white dogwood tree is its profusion of large, showy white bracts (often mistaken for petals) that emerge in early to mid-spring. These blooms create a spectacular visual display, signaling the arrival of warmer weather and adding a touch of classic elegance to any garden.
• Vibrant Autumn Foliage: As the seasons change, the green leaves of the flowering dogwood plant transform into brilliant hues of red, purple, and scarlet. This dramatic fall color provides an extended period of interest, keeping your landscape vibrant long after other plants have faded.
• Wildlife Attraction: The bright red berries produced by the American dogwood care for local wildlife, serving as a crucial food source for many bird species, including robins, bluebirds, and woodpeckers, particularly during fall and winter. This helps support local ecosystems and brings lively activity to your yard.
• Architectural Interest: Even in winter, the distinctive horizontal branching pattern of the dogwood tree provides architectural interest. Its unique structure adds character and form to the dormant landscape, making it a year-round focal point.
• Adaptable & Resilient: Once established, the Cornus florida bare root tree is relatively hardy and adaptable to a range of soil conditions, provided they are well-draining. It demonstrates good resistance to many common pests and diseases when properly sited and cared for.
• Moderate Growth Rate: With a medium growth rate, this tree reaches a mature height of 15-40 feet and spreads 12-20 feet, making it suitable for various garden sizes without becoming overly dominant too quickly.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care is essential for the successful establishment and vigorous growth of your white dogwood tree. These trees thrive with specific conditions that mimic their natural habitat. When planting your Cornus florida bare root, choose a location that receives partial shade, especially in hotter climates. While they can tolerate full sun, afternoon shade helps protect the leaves from scorching, particularly during intense summer heat. Aim for a spot that gets 4-6 hours of morning sun with dappled shade in the afternoon. Good air circulation is also important to prevent fungal issues.

For soil, the flowering dogwood plant prefers well-draining, acidic to neutral soil that is rich in organic matter. Avoid heavy clay soils that retain too much moisture, as this can lead to root rot. Amending your planting hole with compost or other organic material will greatly benefit the tree. Water newly planted bare root trees regularly to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Once established, dogwoods are somewhat drought-tolerant but will perform best with supplemental watering during dry spells, especially in their first few years. Mulching around the base of the tree will help retain soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds. When considering American dogwood care, remember that young trees benefit from a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring, once they have settled into their new environment.

The dogwood tree for sale is typically hardy in USDA Zones 5-9. Protect young trees from harsh winter winds in colder zones. Pruning should be minimal and primarily for removing dead, diseased, or crossing branches. The best time to prune is after flowering in late spring or early summer to avoid removing next year’s flower buds. Watch out for common issues like powdery mildew or dogwood anthracnose, especially in humid conditions. Ensuring good air circulation and appropriate sunlight can help mitigate these problems. With diligent care, your white dogwood tree will flourish, rewarding you with its spectacular seasonal displays.

Size & Details

This offering includes a white dogwood tree shipped as a bare root plant. Each specimen measures approximately 12-24 inches tall, providing a healthy young tree ready for planting. Bare root plants are an economical and effective way to establish new trees, as they suffer less transplant shock when dormant. The Latin name for this species is Cornus florida, commonly known as flowering dogwood, dogwood, or American dogwood. These trees are suitable for USDA Zones 5-9, indicating their adaptability to a wide range of temperate climates across the United States. They exhibit a medium growth rate, typically adding 13-24 inches of height per year.

Upon maturity, a flowering dogwood plant can reach an impressive height of 15-40 feet, with a spread of 12-20 feet, creating a beautiful canopy. The time to first bloom can vary, but healthy young trees often begin flowering within 2-5 years after planting, depending on growing conditions and care. The bare root form is ideal for planting during the dormant season (late fall to early spring) to allow the roots to establish before the stress of summer growth. When you receive your dogwood tree for sale, ensure to hydrate the roots immediately and plant as soon as possible for the best results.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this white dogwood tree get? A: A mature white dogwood tree typically reaches a height of 15-40 feet with a spread of 12-20 feet. It has a medium growth rate, adding 13-24 inches per year.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Cornus florida bare root is an outdoor plant, best suited for landscaping in gardens, yards, and naturalized areas. It is not suitable for indoor cultivation.
• Q: How much sunlight does the flowering dogwood plant need? A: This tree prefers partial shade, especially in warmer climates, meaning 4-6 hours of morning sun with protection from intense afternoon sun. It can tolerate full sun in cooler zones.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? Is it good for beginners? A: Once established, the American dogwood care is relatively straightforward. With proper planting and initial care, it can be a good choice for beginners who can provide the right environmental conditions.
• Q: What condition will the dogwood tree for sale arrive in? A: Your dogwood will arrive as a 12-24 inch tall bare root plant, meaning it will be dormant with no soil around its roots, carefully packaged for shipping.
• Q: How long until it blooms? When is the best time to plant? A: Young dogwood trees typically begin to bloom 2-5 years after planting. The best time to plant a bare root dogwood is during its dormant period, which is late fall after leaf drop or early spring before bud break.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? What’s the minimum temperature? A: The white dogwood tree is hardy in USDA Zones 5-9. It can tolerate winter temperatures down to approximately -20°F (-29°C) in Zone 5.
• Q: What kind of soil does this tree prefer? A: It thrives in well-draining, acidic to neutral soil that is rich in organic matter. Avoid heavy, waterlogged clay soils.
• Q: How often should I water my newly planted dogwood? A: Newly planted bare root dogwoods require consistent moisture. Water regularly to keep the soil moist but not soggy, especially during its first growing season.
• Q: Does the white dogwood tree attract pollinators or wildlife? A: Yes, its flowers attract pollinators, and its bright red berries are a vital food source for many bird species in the fall and winter.