Dogwoods are naturally graceful trees, with layered branches that look best when left mostly alone. The University of Maryland Extension puts it plainly: routine pruning of a dogwood is not necessary. When you do prune, though, timing matters, because dogwoods set next spring’s flower buds in summer.

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The short answer: prune dogwoods right after they finish flowering in late spring or early summer, or in late fall to early winter once they are dormant. Remove only dead, diseased, crossing or badly placed branches. Avoid heavy pruning in mid to late summer, which removes the flower buds already formed for next year. Dead branches can come off at any time.

When to prune

Time	Good for	Watch out for
Right after flowering (late spring to early summer)	Light shaping, removing awkward branches	Do it before buds form for next year
Late fall to early winter (November to December)	Removing crossing branches, structural work	Each cut removes any flower buds on that branch
Mid to late summer	Dead or damaged wood only	Heavy cuts remove next year’s flower buds
Any time	Dead, broken or diseased branches	Cut in dry weather

The University of Maryland Extension suggests pruning in late fall or early winter (November to December) or immediately after flowering. The Morton Arboretum notes that kousa dogwood flowers on old wood and should be pruned soon after flowering. Clemson Extension recommends keeping pruning to a minimum and pruning after flowering in early summer.

Why you rarely need to prune

Dogwoods grow slowly. Clemson Extension estimates about 20 feet in 25 years. They develop a naturally layered, horizontal branch pattern that is part of their charm. Most pruning is about health and safety rather than size:

Removing dead or diseased branches.
Improving form by removing crossing or rubbing branches.
Increasing light and air flow through the crown, which helps prevent leaf diseases such as powdery mildew.
Raising low branches near a walkway or patio.

What to cut

Dead and diseased wood first. Cut back to healthy wood, just outside a branch collar. If you see cankers or dieback, cut in dry weather and clean your tools between cuts.
Water sprouts and suckers. Upright shoots on the trunk and branches and suckers from the base. The University of Maryland recommends removing these, especially where dogwood anthracnose is a risk.
Crossing or rubbing branches. Keep the better-placed one.
Low or drooping branches. Clemson suggests pruning drooping branches near patios or walks.

What to avoid

Topping or shearing. Dogwoods do not respond well, and you lose the natural layered shape.
Removing more than a small part of the crown. The International Society of Arboriculture advises removing only what is needed on mature trees, generally no more than a quarter of the live crown in a year. For dogwoods, far less is usually enough.
Leaving stubs or flush cuts. Cut just outside the branch collar.
Wounding the trunk. Dogwood borers enter through bark wounds, so keep mowers and string trimmers away. A mulch ring helps.

Single trunk or multi-stem?

Clemson Extension notes that flowering dogwood is often grown with multiple trunks but can be trained to a short single trunk. Decide early. For a single trunk, choose the strongest stem on a young tree and gradually remove the others over a few years.

Pruning a neglected or overgrown dogwood

If an older dogwood is crowded and twiggy, spread the work over two or three years. Each year, remove a few of the worst crossing branches and dead wood, and thin a little to open the center. Big cuts on a mature dogwood heal slowly and can invite disease.

Kousa dogwoods

Kousa dogwood flowers later than native flowering dogwood, after its leaves are out. The Morton Arboretum recommends pruning it soon after flowering since it blooms on old wood. Kousa is more tolerant of sun and dry conditions than flowering dogwood but needs the same light touch with pruners.

Tools and technique

Use sharp bypass pruners for twigs and loppers or a pruning saw for larger branches.
For branches thicker than about an inch, use three cuts to avoid tearing the bark.
Do not paint or seal wounds.

Clean up afterward

Remove pruned twigs and branches from the area, especially any with spots, cankers or dieback, rather than leaving them under the tree. In fall, rake up fallen leaves too. Both steps reduce the fungal spores that cause leaf spots and anthracnose the following spring.

When to call a professional

If your dogwood has large dead limbs, widespread dieback or cankers on the trunk, ask a certified arborist to assess it before pruning. The ISA Find an Arborist directory lists professionals by area.

No flowers this year? See why a dogwood isn’t blooming. Planting a new one? Read how big dogwood trees get.

Sources

Growing Flowering Dogwood Trees, University of Maryland Extension
Dogwood, Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC
Kousa Dogwood, The Morton Arboretum
Pruning Mature Trees, International Society of Arboriculture, TreesAreGood.org

Top photo: Wzwz, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

How and When to Prune a Dogwood Tree