If you’ve driven south through Illinois, Indiana, or Missouri in March, the wonder of spring flowering trees surely has refreshed your winter soul. Especially resplendent is Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), which abounds in Zone 6, one zone south. It grows here, too, but with neither the vigor nor abundance seen in a warmer clime.

Dogwood trees can be a part of your northern Illinois landscape with the right selection, placement and care.

Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida is a “standard bearer,” against which all other dogwood trees are compared. It is beloved for many reasons – bloom, fall color, fruit and bark, as well as its strong horizontal and low-branching habit.

In northern Illinois, Flowering Dogwood requires protection from extremes of sun, drought, and cold. Diseases such as anthracnose can be thwarted with moist, well-drained soil amended with acid. A layer of mulch keeps roots cool and evenly moist. This is good for all dogwoods, but essential for Flowering Dogwood.

Leaves of Flowering Dogwood layer upon horizontal branches, lending deep shade when sited in sunnier locations. It prefers to be planted in shade, where it will have an airier appearance.

In late April, before leaves open, it bursts into bloom. Small flower clusters cradle within four heart-shaped bracts, forming a 3- to 4-inch bloom. The creamy-white bracts are eye-catching. Fruit develops from the blossoms, ripening to a glistening red in September or October.

As fall progresses, leaves turn red-purple, then drop to expose a coarse-textured bark that hangs like nuggets on the trunk. This bark adds to the horizontal winter appeal – a mature tree spreads broadly beyond its 25-foot height. This species is worth the extra care in siting that it requires in zone 5.

Chinese Dogwood

Chinese or Kousa Dogwood thrives better in our area. Cornus kousa has some features in common with Flowering Dogwood, including four showy bracts that surround the flower.

Bracts of Kousa are pointed and, unlike the C. florida, don’t appear until after leaves have unfurled, usually in early June. This can be an advantage when it comes to occasional late frosts. The 2- to 4-inch blooms sit decoratively on top of the leaves, with bracts accenting the horizontal branches from base to tip-of-tree for up to 6 weeks.

The profuse blooms develop into 1-inch raspberry-red fruit ripening from August to October. Fruit is edible and is attractive to birds. Fall leaf color is a beautiful deep red.

Advantages of Kousa Dogwood include its tolerance of more sun and its resistance to anthracnose. This allows broader siting choices, though cultural requirements mentioned for Flowering Dogwood must still be adhered to for it to truly thrive. Because it can tolerate full sun, it can create shade for outdoor living areas.

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