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Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 3-7
- Spacing: 20' to 25'
- Exposure: Sun or Shade
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Pagoda Dogwood
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Pagoda Dogwood is so named for its horizontal branching structure that brings to mind the layered tiers of a Chinese pagoda. This small but wide-spreading ornamental tree will grace your landscape with an easy elegance that compliments both formal and informal style. Its architectural lines are most striking in winter, when the horizontal branches are laid bare and topped with snow, or in late spring, when they're peppered with fuzzy white flowers, but we like Pagoda Dogwood best in summer, when songbirds come to plunder the fruits. Start your day with a cup of joe on the deck, watching the birds enjoying your Pagoda Dogwood, and we guarantee you can't help but face the day in a good mood!
Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 3-7
- Spacing: 20' to 25'
- Exposure: Sun or Shade
- Show more ›
The Story
Pagoda Dogwood’s species name, alternifolia, refers to the fact that it’s the only dogwood with leaves arranged alternately, or in zigzag fashion along the branches. If you examine any other dogwood—Flowering Dogwood, Japanese “Kousa” Dogwood, even the shrubby Red-Twigs—you’ll see that the leaves are arranged in pairs. Though a native tree, Pagoda Dogwood hasn’t played much of a role in American history. The wood is too spindly to build with, and the fruits are too icky to eat. Birds, squirrels, and bears have enjoyed having this one all to themselves.
The Details
Quite a lot of stuff going on with this one! Clusters of fragrant small white flowers appear in spring. Medium to dark green foliage endures throughout spring and summer changing to yellow with a mix of red and purple. Green fruit changes to red then to blue-black only to be gobbled up by our feathered friends. Native to the eastern U.S., this tree is best used in naturalistic settings, edges of woods, or as a specimen.
How to Grow
Pagoda Dogwood grows wild from Minnesota to Alabama, though it does better in the northern part of its range. It likes cool summers, consistent moisture, and some shade. Its natural habitat is along the margins of swamps (but not in them) or in the forest understory. A canker can be troublesome with this species. The best defense is to keep the tree healthy and vigorous—mulch, regular water, and good drainage are key. Be sure to plant it where you can watch the birds feast on the fruits!
More Info
Size Guide
Scale
Size A
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Size A Trees:
5-6' tall tree form. Single stemmed with fully developed branching. Fast growing. Grown in our #7 or #10 tree containers.
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