Dogwood trees and shrubs (Cornus spp.) include a large group of flowering plants within the genus Cornus. They come in a wide range of sizes, including low-growing subshrubs.
Appreciated for providing year-round interest, from early spring flowers and summer berries to brilliant fall colors, dogwoods are low-maintenance, easy-care landscape plants. Some species have colorful stems that offer winter appeal.
With species that are native to Asia, Europe, and North America, as well as numerous cultivars, youll have no problem finding a dogwood tree for your yard.
The glorious blooms of dogwood trees are one of the most beloved signs of spring. Their showy white, pink, or red bracts seem to glow against the backdrop of newly greening landscapes. But some years dogwood trees fail to live up to expectations with a disappointing lack of flowers. Understanding why dogwoods may not bloom and seeing pictures of dogwood trees without blossoms can help troubleshoot the problem.
Why Dogwood Trees Don’t Bloom
There are several key reasons why a dogwood tree may not produce its characteristic spring display:
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Improper Pruning – Pruning at the wrong time of year removes next year’s flower buds. Only prune immediately after blooming.
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Weather Extremes – Late spring frosts, heavy snow and ice, and extreme cold weather can damage buds. Dogwoods need a relatively sheltered location.
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Excess Shade – Too much shade, especially in afternoon, limits flowering. Dogwoods need morning sun and afternoon shade.
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Poor Soil Conditions – Compacted, nutrient deficient, or overly wet soil inhibits blooming. Dogwoods thrive in well-draining, fertile soil.
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Drought Stress – Insufficient water, especially during dry periods, stresses trees and reduces flowering.
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Diseases and Pests – Problems like anthracnose and borers sap energy, limiting production of flower buds.
Photo Examples of Dogwoods Not Blooming
Seeing images of dogwood trees that have failed to flower helps identify potential causes Here are a few examples
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A kousa dogwood with lush green leaves but no signs of flower buds likely lacks sufficient sunlight. Moving the tree or pruning overhanging branches can improve light exposure.
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A dogwood with sparse and stunted pink bracts may have suffered bud damage from extreme cold. Providing winter protection can help prevent similar issues in the future.
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A dogwood with spotted, damaged leaves but no flowers likely has a disease like anthracnose. Treating the disease and improving care will encourage healthier flowering.
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A young, newly planted dogwood that leafs out well but shows no flowers may simply not have reached maturity yet. Patience and proper care will help it develop flowers in coming years.
Encouraging Your Dogwood to Bloom
If your dogwood disappoints you with a lack of spring flowers, don’t give up hope! With attention to its needs, you may coax a spectacular floral display in future seasons:
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Choose a site with morning sun and afternoon shade to suit its preferences.
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Enrich soil with compost; keep soil consistently moist but not saturated.
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Water deeply during dry periods to prevent drought stress.
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Apply an acidic fertilizer early spring before bud break.
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Monitor for pests and diseases; treat issues promptly.
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Prune immediately after flowering to avoid removing next year’s flower buds.
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Protect from harsh wind, extreme cold, and late spring frosts.
Dogwoods sometimes take a season off from flowering. But ensuring ideal growing conditions will get your tree back on track for a glorious spring bloom. With proper care tailored to its needs, your dogwood will once again be decked out in floral splendor.
Summary
Pictures of dogwood trees not blooming can help identify causes like improper pruning, weather damage, diseases, and suboptimal growing conditions. Addressing issues like insufficient sunlight, poor soil, and drought stress along with proper pruning and care encourages prolific flowering. With patience and attention to its needs, a dogwood that fails to bloom one year can rebound with abundant blooms for many springs to come.
Dogwood Tree Care
- Light: Most dogwood trees and shrubs are considered understory trees and thrive in part shade, but some varieties also benefit from full sun.
- Soil: Dogwoods thrive in rich, damp, well-draining soil thats slightly acidic.
- Water: Dont let drought affect your dogwoods, they need to be watered deeply in high heat, especially in full sun. Dogwoods usually dont do well in extreme heat or dry conditions
- Pruning: Dogwood trees should be pruned with a sterile tool in late fall, winter, or early spring (March) when a flowering dogwood tree is dormant. Pruning is mostly for aesthetic reasons to reshape the tree and remove dead branches. Do not prune in spring or summer, the oozing of the wounds attracts pests and can lead to infections.
How to Identify a Dogwood Tree
Leaves: Dogwood tree leaves are often smooth-edged with veins that curve parallel to the margins (edges). A few species, however, have leaves that alternate on the stems. They are also known for their opposite branching, a characteristic that helps you identify the kind of dogwood tree you have.
Bark: Dogwood tree bark is scaly. In fact, the bark looks like nearly uniform square scales. Older trees with patched bark may begin to peel.
Flowers and Fruit: It takes a dogwood tree about five to seven years to start flowering. Some species, such as the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), have large bracts. After pollination, they produce a type of fruit known as a drupe.
The fruit of the flowering dogwood and other dogwoods are toxic to humans. Some people also report skin rashes from contact with the leaves and bark of dogwoods. If there is a chance of human consumption or contact, always check out the species before planting it.
5 Favorite Flowering Dogwood Trees | NatureHills.com
FAQ
Are there dogwoods that don’t bloom?
There are several shrubby dogwoods that have very small insignificant flowers which have the effect of being non-flowering. If the things planted really are trees rather than shrubs, all of the tree form dogwoods including alternifolia, florida, kousa and others do flower.
What tree is mistaken for a dogwood?
On the surface, the flowering dogwood sounds very similar to Bradford pear. It is a deciduous tree with beautiful, white to pink early spring blooms that persist on the branch, and in the fall it has vibrant red foliage. However, it differs in several important ways.
What month do dogwood trees bloom?
First to bloom: Native Dogwoods (Cornus florida), native to the Northeast stand out against the still brown forests in early to mid-April. Native Dogwoods are multi-stemmed with low branching, which gives them their elegant form. Cornus florida bears red fruit in the fall its foliage turns a striking red.
What does a dogwood tree look like in early spring?
Its lovely boughs of white flowers are beautiful in springtime woodlands. The white bracts of flowering dogwood are showy, while the cluster of yellowish, small flowers at their center are not. We enjoy the fall leaf color and red berries of flowering dogwood, as well as its springtime flowers.