The flower dogwood is one of the few garden plants that should be pruned as little as possible. It's best to let it grow as nature intended. Its beautiful shape is particularly effective as a solitary plant.
How should you prune a flowering dogwood?
When cutting flower dogwoods, pruning should be carried out as little as possible. Use clean, sharp tools and only remove diseased or dried shoots. Topiary pruning is only advisable for potted plants or in exceptional cases.
Some dogwood varieties should be cut back at least every few years. These mainly include the varieties with colored wood, i.e. the yellow dogwood or the red dogwood. The reason for regular pruning is quite simple: over time, the attractive color of the bark diminishes. Only the young shoots have a strong color. By pruning you promote sprouting and preserve the color.
However, different rules apply to the varieties of flowering dogwood. They often form beautiful, spreading crowns, with mostly horizontal branches. This makes them particularly decorative as solitary plants. If you have a flowering dogwood that grows very sparsely or does not branch well, you can prune it a little. However, you should leave a he althy flower dogwood with attractive growth as it grows naturally.
How do I keep my dogwood small in a pot?
If you only have little space, you can also cultivate the flower dogwood in a bucket. Choose a variety that naturally stays small. Don't skimp on the nutrients you need, otherwise your flowering dogwood won't bloom as desired or it will become susceptible to powdery mildew or leaf browning. You can keep the plant in shape with careful and moderate pruning. Always use only clean and sharp cutting tools (€14.00 on Amazon).
The most important things in brief:
- prune as little as possible
- cut only with clean and sharp tools
- remove diseased and dried shoots
- Topiary cutting only for potted plants or in exceptional cases
Tip
As long as your flower dogwood is growing well and has a nice shape, let it continue to grow in peace. A cut is then not necessary.