Flowering Dogwood

Small ornamental trees add delicacy to landscapes

BY MISTY MILIOTO

1

Appearance

This deciduous flowering tree features attractive green foliage and red fruit that attracts wildlife. With a moderate growth rate, the flowering dogwood reaches 20 to 30 feet tall and about 20 feet wide at maturity.

2 Use

Be sure to give your new tree adequate room to grow. The tree should be planted away from utility lines, and with at least 20 feet of clearance from buildings and eight feet of clearance from electrical transformers. Once planted, provide a three- to four-inch layer of mulch around the planting area, being sure to avoid the base of the trunk so the bark won’t rot. While it is not advised to fertilize the tree at the time of planting, it is recommended to sprinkle a balanced fertilizer over the planting area the following spring (followed by twice during the growing season).

3

Grow

The flowering dogwood produces beautiful fruit and flowers. The tree will take as many years to become established as the width of its trunk in inches. So, a two-inch-wide trunk means your tree will be fully established in two years. During this time, it is important to provide regular watering (about one inch of water per week for about two years). Flowering dogwoods also must grow in acidic, sandy and well-drained soil.

4

Learn

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is the state tree and flower of Virginia, the state tree of Missouri and the state flower of North Carolina.

5 Lagniappe

Native Americans extracted a red dye from the roots of the flowering dogwood, and used the bark and roots in a remedy for malaria.

Visit the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center at lsuagcenter.com to download the native tree guide.

What to Plant

According to Akins, the heat of southern summers stresses many plants. However, she says that crops such as beans, eggplant and okra tolerate the heat, while both sweet and hot peppers, as well as corn, actually enjoy the heat. As far as herbs, basil is a good bet for the summer. “Genovese basil is the classic broad-leaf variety, but you may consider an interesting chocolate or lemon variety for some extra spice in your garden and kitchen,” she says. “Not to be forgotten, the perennial bay leaf, rosemary, oregano and thyme plants will continue to grow year-round with little effort and are always a rich culinary addition to your favorite meals.”

Akins also loves teaching her students about companion plants and how biodiversity benefits different species. For example, she likes to plant a tomato-basil-borage combination. “The basil and borage plants help with pest management for the tomatoes,” she says. “As an added bonus, the purple flowers of the borage plant are edible and add a beautiful ornament to soups and salads.”

She also loves to pair squash, corn and beans, which Akins says Native Americans referred to as the Three Sisters. “The beans enrich the soil with nutrients that the corn needs; the corn supports the beans’ vertical growth; and the squash helps with weed control at ground level,” she says.