Quick Facts
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Height at Maturity: 15-30 Feet
Usage: Flowering
Shipped As: Bare-root
Planting Zones:
Product Details
Flowering dogwood is one of the most beloved native trees in the eastern United States. Our white dogwood seedlings (Cornus florida) are sold wholesale and bare root in bundles of 100, 500 and 1,000, in 6-12 inch, 6-18 inch and 6-24 inch row-run grades. Landscape contractors, municipalities, restoration crews, wildlife managers and nurseries lining out liners use them for spring bloom, red fall color and high-value fruit for birds.
Flowering Dogwood at a Glance
- Botanical name: Cornus florida (flowering dogwood, white dogwood)
- Family: Cornaceae (dogwood family)
- USDA zones: 5 to 9
- Mature size: 15 to 30 feet tall with an equal or wider spread
- Light: Part shade to full sun; flowers best with morning sun
- Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic, rich in organic matter
- Bloom: White four-bracted flowers in early to mid spring, before the leaves
- Fruit: Glossy red drupes in fall
- Grades and bundles: 6-12 in, 6-18 in, 6-24 in row run; packs of 100, 500, 1,000
A Four-Season Understory Tree
Each spring, white dogwood opens a layer of large white bracts along horizontal, tiered branches. Summer brings clean green foliage, and fall turns the leaves deep red to burgundy just as clusters of scarlet berries ripen. In winter, the button-shaped flower buds and blocky "alligator" bark keep the tree interesting. It is the state tree of Virginia and Missouri and the state flower of North Carolina.
High-Value Wildlife Food
Dogwood fruit is rich in fat, which makes it a key fall food for migrating songbirds such as thrushes, cedar waxwings and bluebirds. Wild turkey, bobwhite quail, squirrels and white-tailed deer eat the fruit and browse twigs. Wildlife managers plant dogwood along field edges and woodland borders as soft mast that complements acorns; see our mast planting blueprint for how to layer species.
Where Our Buyers Plant Dogwood
| Buyer | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Landscape contractors | Specimen and grouped plantings in residential and commercial landscapes |
| Municipal and parks crews | Park understory, greenways and memorial plantings |
| Restoration and forestry crews | Mid-story layer in native hardwood reforestation |
| Hunting land managers | Soft mast and cover along food plots and woods edges |
| Nurseries | Lining out to grow on into salable whips and B&B trees |
Planting Tips
Dogwood is a natural forest edge tree, so it excels with light shade in the afternoon and a cool, mulched root zone. Plant at the same depth the seedling grew, firm the soil, and mulch 2 to 3 inches deep. Space trees 15 to 20 feet apart for naturalized groupings, or 2 to 3 feet apart in nursery rows. Our planting instructions cover bare root handling step by step.
Natural Companions
Pair white dogwood with redbud seedlings for the classic spring understory, set it beneath tulip poplar and oaks, or use it with sourwood for a native flowering mix. Read how crews use it in restoration plantings.
White Dogwood Seedling FAQs
How long until dogwood seedlings bloom?
Flowering dogwood grown from seedlings usually begins blooming around five to seven years after planting.
Is white dogwood native?
Yes. Cornus florida is native across the eastern United States, from New England to Florida and west to Texas.
Does dogwood grow in shade?
Yes. It is a natural understory tree that thrives in part shade and also flowers well in full sun with steady moisture.
How fast does flowering dogwood grow?
Expect a moderate rate of about 1 foot per year once established.
When do white dogwood seedlings ship?
Dogwood bundles ship in November while bare root and dormant.
How do I order more than 1,000?
Use our wholesale pricing request form for a quote on larger counts.
Why Buy From Us
For more than six decades, since Roscoe Tate opened the nursery in 1959, our family has grown trees in Altamont, Tennessee, where we now farm 170 acres. We have raised more than 200,000 redbuds, a natural partner for dogwood. Plants from our fields have been used on the Washington Monument grounds. Each dogwood bundle is lifted dormant, treated with Terra-Sorb hydrogel and sealed to stay moist for up to 12 days, and it arrives under our Arrive Alive guarantee.