If you’re looking for a beautiful tree that’s easy to care for, not too tall, and plentiful in lovely spring flowers, then you may want to purchase a dogwood.
“Few trees rival the native dogwood for beauty when its loaded with the floral bracts,” says Tom Molnar, PhD, associate professor in plant biology at Rutgers University of New Jersey. “It’s one of spring’s first flowering trees.”
With 16 different dogwoods that are native to the U.S., it’s one of the most widespread species, meaning that there’s likely to be one that will grow well in your yard.
“They range from ground cover-like plants to large trees,” says Ben Chu, horticulture manager at the Missouri Botanical Garden. “They grow well in many different conditions in average soil, and some types are shade-tolerant.”
Dogwood trees are beloved for their showy spring flowers and multi-branched habit that makes them stand out in landscapes. Unfortunately disease problems have made it harder to grow some types of dogwoods.
Fortunately, there are several lookalike trees that can mimic the beauty of dogwoods without the disease headaches. In this article, we’ll explore 9 dogwood doppelgangers that can give you the flowering spectacle, graceful form, and multi-season interest of true dogwoods.
Bradford Pear – The White Dogwood Doppelgänger
The Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana) is one of the most common dogwood lookalikes, It bursts into bloom in early spring with white flowers tinged pink, The trees reach a mature height and spread of 30-50 feet,
Bradford pears grow quickly and tolerate urban conditions However, they are susceptible to storm damage and have invasive tendencies in some regions Their flowers resemble dogwoods, but the fruit is inedible.
Redbud – The Pink Dogwood Doppelgänger
Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a small, native tree that lights up landscapes with fuchsia-pink blooms in early spring. Their flowers open on bare branches before the heart-shaped leaves emerge.
There are many redbud cultivars to choose from with white, lavender, or burgundy foliage. Most grow 15-30 feet tall. Redbuds thrive in various conditions and have few pest or disease problems.
Kousa Dogwood – The Asian Dogwood
Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) is an Asian species resistant to diseases plaguing native dogwoods. It blooms after its leaves emerge, offering pinkish-red bracts and red berry-like fruit. Kousa dogwood reaches 15-30 feet tall and spreads 25 feet wide.
Corneliancherry Dogwood – Small and Resilient
The corneliancherry dogwood (Cornus mas) is a hardy small tree from Europe/Asia. It produces clusters of tiny yellow flowers in late winter, followed by tart red fruit used for jams. This trouble-free species grows 15-25 feet tall and wide.
Serviceberry – The Native Dogwood Lookalike
Serviceberry (Amelanchier) includes around 20 species of native trees/large shrubs with white star-shaped blooms resembling dogwoods. Tasty berry-like pomes follow the flowers. Serviceberries thrive in sun or part shade and reach 15-30 feet tall.
Silverbell – Graceful and Long-lived
Silverbell (Halesia tetraptera) is a Southeastern native offering abundant white bell-shaped spring blooms. It matures to 30-50 feet tall and can live 100 years. Some varieties have pink flowers or variegated foliage. Silverbell does best in moist, acidic soil.
Fringetree – The Woodland Beauty
Fringetree (Chionanthus) is a genus of small native trees/large shrubs with dogwood-like floral displays. Chinese fringetree (C. retusus) offers better disease resistance than the native white fringetree (C. virginicus). Both reach 10-30 feet tall.
Franklinia – The Rare Beauty
Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha) is an extremely rare species extinct in the wild, with camellia-like white blooms. It can be temperamental to grow, requiring acidic soil and part shade. Mature size is 15-30 feet tall.
Japanese Flowering Cherry – The Short-lived Diva
Though only living 15-20 years, Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata) provides a gorgeous floral show in early spring. Most cultivars reach 15-25 feet tall, with no messy fruit. While beautiful, they require well-drained soil and are prone to pests.
Key Takeaways
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Bradford pears, redbuds, and Kousa dogwoods offer abundant spring blooms reminiscent of native dogwoods.
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Serviceberries, silverbells, fringetrees, and Franklinia mimic the multi-season appeal and graceful habits of dogwoods.
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Short-lived flowering cherries give a stunning but temporary dogwood-like floral display.
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Consider site conditions, size, invasiveness, and disease resistance when selecting dogwood lookalikes.
While no tree perfectly replicates flowering dogwoods, these beautiful alternatives can capture their graceful form and floral spectacle without the disease headaches. Adding one of these dogwood doppelgangers to your landscape allows you to enjoy gorgeous spring blooms for years to come.
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
This shrubby native dogwood has pretty white berries, as opposed to many other dogwoods, which have red fruit.
The flower appears more as a cluster or bunch. It also tends to spread in thickets if the suckers aren’t pruned out, says Chu.
Native Range: Eastern North AmericaUSDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8Size: 10 to 15 feet tall and wideSun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Hybrid Flowering Dogwood (Cornus x rutgersensis)
Bred from Cornus florida and Cornus kousa, this hybrid is more resistant to disease than florida. It blooms two weeks after Cornus florida and two weeks before Cornus kousa, so you can enjoy dogwood flowers for a much longer period of time, says Molnar.
One of the most popular cultivars is ‘Stellar Pink.’
Native Area: Hybrid of native dogwood and Kousa (Asian)USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9Size: 10 to 20 tall and wideSun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Bunchberry is a low-growing shrub that works well as a groundcover in part shade. Its foliage and berries do resemble those of dogwood trees, and it does best in cooler climates, says Chu.
Native Area: Asia, Greenland, and northern North AmericaUSDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 6 Size: 4 to 9 inches tall and 12 inches wideSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeAdvertisement – Continue Reading Below
5 Favorite Flowering Dogwood Trees | NatureHills.com
FAQ
What tree is similar to a dogwood tree?
The Redbud Tree
Redbuds do well in a variety of soils, and just like a dogwood they thrive in the border regions of a forest. In the early spring, the eastern redbud becomes loaded with small pink/purple blooms that cover the branching areas of the tree.
What is the name of the tree that looks like a dogwood?
Bunchberry (Chamaepericlymenum canadense)
Bunchberry is a low-growing shrub that works well as a groundcover in part shade. Its foliage and berries do resemble those of dogwood trees, and it does best in cooler climates, says Chu.
What’s the difference between a dogwood tree and a Bradford pear?
The dogwood tends to be a stronger tree, capable of withstanding gusts of wind, while the Bradford pear is more likely to be damaged in severe weather.
What is the difference between kousa and regular dogwood?
… to kousa dogwood and the fruits of flowering dogwood are bright red berry-like drupes, whereas kousa dogwood fruits are a globose pink to red compound drupe