Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) can be propagated several ways. NC State Extension lists seed and stem cuttings as the recommended methods, and the USDA Forest Service adds layering, grafting and budding. Which one you choose depends on what you want: an exact copy of a favorite tree, or simply more dogwoods.
The short answer: the most practical way to copy a dogwood is a softwood cutting. The USDA Forest Service says flowering dogwood roots readily from cuttings taken in June or right after bloom: use 3-inch shoot tips with two to four leaves, dip the base in rooting hormone, set them about 1.2 inches deep and keep them under mist. Dogwoods also grow from seed after about 120 days of moist chilling at 41°F, but seedlings vary and are slower to flower. Red-flowered forms are hard to root and are usually budded or grafted.
Choose a method
| Method | When | Copies the parent? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Softwood cuttings | June, or right after bloom | Yes | Best home method; needs mist or high humidity |
| Seed | Collect in fall; sow after cold chilling | No | Seedlings vary and flower at different ages |
| Layering | Low branches in contact with soil | Yes | Dogwood reproduces extensively by layering in the wild |
| Budding and grafting | Budding late summer; grafting winter | Yes | Used for red-flowered and named cultivars |
Softwood cuttings
The USDA Forest Service’s Silvics of North America gives a clear method for flowering dogwood:
- Take cuttings in June or immediately after the tree blooms.
- Use only terminal shoot tips, trimmed to about 3 inches (8 cm), keeping two to four leaves.
- Dip the base in a rooting powder of indolebutyric acid (IBA) and talc. The Forest Service cites one part IBA crystals to 250 parts talc by weight, which is the kind of mix sold as rooting hormone.
- Set the cuttings about 1.2 inches (3 cm) deep in rooting medium.
- Keep them under mist, with a day length of at least 18 hours.
The Forest Service also notes that cuttings from young trees usually grow and survive better after rooting than cuttings from mature trees. If you have a choice, take tips from a vigorous young tree.
The mist and long day length matter: they keep the leafy cutting from drying out while roots form. Without a mist system, rooting is less reliable, so take several more cuttings than you need.
Red-flowered dogwoods are different
The Forest Service notes that the red form of flowering dogwood is difficult to start from cuttings and is usually propagated by budding in late summer or grafting in winter. Clemson Extension explains that pink and red cultivars come from the naturally occurring variety Cornus florida var. rubra. If you want to copy a red or pink cultivar, buying a grafted tree is usually more realistic than rooting cuttings.
Growing dogwood from seed
Seed is easy to come by. Clemson notes the bright red fruit ripens in September and October.
- Collect from groups of trees. The Forest Service says seeds on isolated trees are frequently empty, so collect from trees growing near other dogwoods.
- Clean the seed. Remove the fleshy fruit to get the stones (seeds). The Forest Service says clean, air-dried stones can be stored in sealed containers at 38°F for 2 to 4 years.
- Chill it. In nature, seed usually germinates the spring after it falls, and some not until the second spring. The Forest Service recommends stratifying fresh seed at 41°F for up to 120 days to overcome dormancy. A bag of moist medium in the refrigerator works for this.
- Sow in spring. Seedlings show rapid root growth. The Forest Service notes that plants entering their third year, about 2 to 3 feet tall, are well suited for moving to a permanent spot, and that transplanting with a root ball is preferred over bare-root.
Remember that seedlings are not copies of the parent. Clemson notes that dogwoods grown from seed vary in the age at which they begin flowering, while almost all dogwoods sold are asexually propagated and flower at an early age.
Layering
The Forest Service notes flowering dogwood reproduces extensively by layering, where a low branch that touches the soil forms roots while still attached to the parent. Because a layered branch is the same plant as the parent, it keeps the parent’s flower color and form. Once a layer has its own roots, it can be cut free and moved.
Caring for young dogwoods
Whatever the method, young dogwoods need careful watering. The USDA NRCS plant guide says flowering dogwood is intolerant of extended drought, especially in the first year after planting. It recommends daily watering for the first few weeks after planting, then twice a week for the rest of the first year. NRCS also notes dogwoods grow best in well-drained soils with a pH of 6 to 7, that their root system is shallow, and that partial or broken shade is best, though they can tolerate full sun. NC State notes mulch helps keep the roots cool and moist in hot summers.
If an established dogwood is struggling, see how to revive a dogwood tree.
Sources
- Flowering Dogwood, Silvics of North America, USDA Forest Service
- Flowering Dogwood Plant Guide, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Dogwood, Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center
Top photo: Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons