Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is the most beautiful of U.S. native flowering trees (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9). It typically grows 15-30 feet tall, but larger forms are known. The tree is broadly-pyramidal at a young age, branching is low, and matures with a rounded canopy. Spring bloom time usually overlaps with redbud (Cercis […]
Archive for the ‘Dogwood (Cornus)’ Category
‘Cherokee Brave’– Outstanding “Red” Flowering Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on April 3rd, 2015
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, compact tree, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Powdery Mildew, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on ‘Cherokee Brave’– Outstanding “Red” Flowering DogwoodPest Alert: Japanese Maple Scale Becoming A Serious Problem
Posted by Hugh on February 24th, 2015
Japanese maple scale is a new pest in Tennessee and surrounding states. It infests many more plant species than just Japanese maple. The insect’s small size and ability to blend in naturally with tree bark makes it challenging to detect until populations are high and it has infested large landscape and neighborhoods. Japanese maple scale […]
Posted in Burning bush (Euonymus), Camellia, Cotoneaster, Crabapple, Dogwood (Cornus), Elms (Ulmus), Green ash (Fraxinus), Ilex (hollies), Japanese maple, Linden (Tilia), Maples (Acer), Pear (Ornamental), Pesticide recommendations, Pests, Purchasing Plants, Pyracantha (firethorn), Regional, Scale, Southern Appalachian Region, Stewartia pseudocamellia, Styrax, Trees & Shrubs, Willows (Salix), Yellowwood, Zelkova Comments Off on Pest Alert: Japanese Maple Scale Becoming A Serious ProblemPreventing Powdery Mildew Disease On Summer Plants
Posted by Hugh on May 18th, 2014
Powdery mildews are serious fungal leaf diseases infecting many garden plants. Each one is host specific. The powdery mildew that attacks summer phlox does not infect zinnias or pumpkin vines. Powdery mildew disease on crape myrtles does not attack lilacs or roses. In recent years new powdery mildew diseases have popped up on dogwoods and […]
Posted in Crabapple, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease prone, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Garden Problems, Irrigation, Lilac (Syringa), Monarda (Beebalm), Peony, Perennials, Phlox, Powdery Mildew, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Zinnia Comments Off on Preventing Powdery Mildew Disease On Summer Plants‘Summer Gold’ Kousa Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2014
Get ready to alter your mindset with ‘Summer Gold’ Chinese (kousa) dogwood (Cornus kousa) (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Its diminutive size, 8 to 10 feet high and 4 to 5 feet wide, makes it a great fit for a small city garden. Branching is distinctly upright, which partially accounts for its narrow space needs. ‘Summer […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Chinese (kousa) dogwood, compact tree, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Ornamental fruit, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Summer Gold’ Kousa DogwoodBeautiful Giant Dogwood Has Some Limitations
Posted by Hugh on March 28th, 2014
Giant dogwood (Cornus controversa) is a medium-sized deciduous tree that grows to 35 to 40 feet high (in the wild to 60 feet) in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 7. This Asian native (China and Japan) is cherished for its distinctive horizontal (tiered) branching habit. Giant dogwood prefers an acidic, organically rich, moisture, well-drained soil. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease prone, Dogwood (Cornus), Flowering, Insect (Pest) Problems, Medium sized Tree, Planting tips, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Beautiful Giant Dogwood Has Some LimitationsWinter Sap Bleeding From Trees Not Harmful
Posted by Hugh on January 28th, 2014
Winter can be a cruel period for trees. Day-night temperatures may wildly fluctuate and drying winds tend to injure tender buds. Maples (Acer spp.), flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida), birches (Betula spp.), yellowwoods (Cladrastis kentukea), walnuts (Juglans spp.) and elms (Ulmus spp.) are “bleeders”. The sap pressure inside branches is highest during the winter months. If any […]
Posted in Birch (Betula spp.), Dogwood (Cornus), Elms (Ulmus), Maples (Acer), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Walnut, watering tips, Yellowwood Comments Off on Winter Sap Bleeding From Trees Not Harmful“Death By Mower” Disease
Posted by Hugh on January 22nd, 2014
“Mower disease” is a totally preventable human malady caused by permitting lawn grasses and weeds from growing near the crown of trees and shrubs. The problem is commonly seen on large properties such as church grounds, cemeteries and public parks. Large gang mowing machines (with many reels) cut 95-98% of the turf area. Workers follow […]
Posted in Disease prone, Dogwood (Cornus), Garden Problems, Insect (Pest) Problems, Mowing, mulching, mulching trees, Pruning, Weeds, Weeds, winter injury Comments Off on “Death By Mower” DiseaseNativars – New Cultivars Of Native Plants
Posted by Hugh on January 20th, 2014
Nativar is a new term coined by Dr. Allan Armitage, Professor Emeritus from the University of Georgia. It combines the words “native” and “cultivar”. Nativar refers to a cultivar of a native plant. It attempts to excite the horticultural marketplace about new cultivars of native perennial plants, such as blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.), purple coneflower […]
Posted in Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Flowers, Native Plant, Perennials, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (layering), Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, winter hardiness Comments Off on Nativars – New Cultivars Of Native PlantsLandscape Shrubs Rarely Damaged By Deer
Posted by Hugh on December 1st, 2013
Deer will eat or nibble on any landscape plant, particularly when they’re starving. Abnormally high deer populations, starved by a shortage of their favorite foods (mast), will feed or browse on almost any plant. This is a survival reaction. To truly protect plants when deer numbers are unusually high, a tall fence or reinforced netting […]
Posted in Abelia, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Aucuba, Bottlebrush buckeye, Boxwood (Buxus), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Cherry Laurel (Prunus), common boxwood, Contorted filbert (Corylus), Cotoneaster, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Doghobble (Leucothoe), Dogwood (Cornus), Enkianthus, Firethorn (Pyracantha), Flowering quince (Chaenomeles), Foster Holly (Ilex), Fringetree (Chionanthus), Heat Tolerance, Invasive plant, Juniper, Magnolia stellata, Mugo pine (Pinus mugo), Osmanthus 'Goshiki', Pieris japonica, Southern Appalachian Region, Spirea (Spiraea), St. John's Wort (Hypericum), Sumac (Rhus), Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant Comments Off on Landscape Shrubs Rarely Damaged By DeerPest Alert: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Posted by Hugh on July 2nd, 2013
In recent years Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys), aka BMSB, has become serious pests of fruits, vegetables, and farm crops in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern Appalachian regions. BMSB are likely to spread to other areas in the U.S. They feed on all parts of plants (fruit, stems, leaves). They may also become a major […]
Posted in Apple tree, Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Cherries, Corn (Sweet or Field), Dogwood (Cornus), Fruits & Vegetables, Garden Problems, Insect (Pest) Problems, Peach, Pesticide recommendations, Pests, Raspberries, Regional, Sanitation, Strawberries, Tomato Comments Off on Pest Alert: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
