Within the dogwood genus (Cornus) there is a colorful group of spectacular species and unique varieties. Some ornamental trees boast picturesque flowers, while their counterparts delight with colorful branches. The correct cut on the dogwood bush should take into account the individual growth characteristics. The aim of this tutorial is to explain species-specific pruning care to hobby gardeners in a practical way.
What is the best way to prune my dogwood?
The right cut for dogwoods depends on the species: colored wood dogwoods need a radical cut for colorful shoots, whereas flower dogwoods need a care and thinning cut for their beauty. Cornelian cherries benefit from training pruning, and carpet dogwoods should cut off retracted shoots.
Cutting dogwood species-specific – options at a glance
The success story of the multifaceted dogwood genus is based on outstanding species and their unique attributes. If you have succumbed to the charm of spectacular colored wood dogwoods, pruning care is different than with opulent flowering dogwoods. And finally there is the local cornelian cherry, which captivates us as a magnificent early bloomer and spoils us with delicious berries. The following table provides an overview of the central cutting options for the most popular dogwood species in the home garden:
| Art | botanical names | Cut option I | Target | Period | Cut Option II | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorful Dogwood, Siberian Dogwood, White Dogwood, Yellowwood Dogwood | Cornus alba, Cornus sericea, Cornus sanguinea | Radical cut | Formation of intensely colored rods | End of February to beginning of March | Care and thinning cut | Promoting flower abundance |
| Flower Dogwood, Pagoda Dogwood | Cornus kousa, Cornus florida, Cornus nutallii, Cornus controversa | Care and thinning cut | Maintaining beauty and flowering | from the 10th year immediately after the flowering period | no cut | Let natural beauty have a free hand |
| Cornelian cherry | Cornus mas | Educational Cut | Multi-stemmed shrub or single-stemmed wild fruit tree | during the first years of existence | Blending cut | Prevention of aging in advanced age |
| Carpet Dogwood, Canadian Dogwood, Cushion Dogwood | Cornus canadensis | Pruning of withdrawn shoots | Opaque ground vegetation with weed suppression | in late winter, in time before the fresh shoots | no cut | natural growth as a flowering ground cover |
Is there uncertainty about which dogwood species or variety is in your garden? Then please don't make your decision based on the German trade name, which has sometimes led to adventurous confusion. Only the botanical name offers ultimate security.
Cutting the colored wood dogwood boldly – instructions for pruning
When you cut colored wood dogwoods, you also have a choice between intensely colored shoots or beautiful flowers. You are faced with this decision because species with bright red, yellow or brown-red branchesbecome barky after 3 years and lose their radiance. If continuous pruning takes place to maintain colorful young plants, the flower buds that have already formed are regularly lost. The pattern for each option is explained in more detail below:
Maintaining the intense shoot color:
- Best time isEnd of February to beginning of March
- In the third year, cut off every second shoot at ground level
- Cut out the other half in the fourth year
- Leave young shoots standing
- Alternatively, place the entire bush on the stick every 3 years
- In the following years, thin out the older, barking branches in favor of fresh shoots
- Alternatively, place the entire bush on the stick every 3 years
Excursus
Put on stick
Gardeners use the term “put on the stick” to describe a radical pruning of trees. All shoots are shortened to a height of 20 to 30 centimeters. The bush sprouts happily again from the sleeping eyes on the rootstock. In contrast, dead wood is always cut off at ground level so that no dead stubs hinder the sprouting of young branches.
Maintaining the abundance of flowers
- Best time isafter the flowering period
- Only cut when curved branches touch the ground and take root there
- Cut back shoots that are too long up to the apex of the arch
- In addition, thin out dead wood in late winter
Pruning at the end of the flowering period does not interfere with the creation of new buds for the next year's flowering period. Please do not wait too long before using the pruning shears. No later thanby mid-July the pruning care should be completed to ensure flowering. From this point on, a dogwood begins to put on buds for next year's flower festival.
Background
Bird protection
Radical pruning measures on ornamental trees are subject to the regulations of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG). If you are putting a dogwood on the cane or doing a major rejuvenation, the pruning must be completed before March 1st. To protect breeding birds and nesting small animals, Section 39, Section 5 BNatSchG prohibits any disturbance of wild animals by cutting trees. Between March 1st and September 30th, light maintenance cuts are permitted provided that harm to wild animals can be ruled out.
Cut flower dogwoods as needed – this is how it works
Flower dogwoods are a floral revelation even without cutting. Wonderful species such as Cornus florida and Cornus kousa do not age even in old age. Rather, gardeners can plan for the lavish display of flowers every early summer, followed by decorative fruit clusters and bright foliage color in autumn. Under normal conditions, you can carry out a maintenance and thinning cut from the 10th year onwards. Here's how to do it:
- The best time is immediately after flowering until mid-July
- Cut out damaged and dried branches
- Remove shoots that are directed towards the interior of the bush or are growing crosswise
- Cut back excessively long branches that are bent to the ground by half
In addition, from the 10th year onwards, dead ground shoots are cut off at the base in late winter at intervals of 3 to 4 years to create a light-flooded ornamental shrub. The illustration below illustrates the cutting procedure for the necessary care and thinning of flower dogwoods.
Only cut back shoots that are too long after the flowering period if necessary. Flower dogwoods remain a feast for the eyes even without pruning. Thin out older bushes every 3 to 4 years.
Tip
One of the most famous dogwood varieties requires special treatment when pruned. Flower dogwood 'Venus' boasts opulent flowers and furious autumn color. However, the ornamental tree branches only reluctantly in the first few years. They convince the flowering shrub to have a dense, compact and flower-rich habit with thorough pruning. After flowering, shorten all shoots by a third.
Cornelian cherry – pruning care focuses on training pruning
The cornelian cherry only reveals its botanical relationship to Cornus species upon closer inspection. As an early-flowering wild fruit tree, the golden yellow flowers of Cornus mas shine at the same time as forsythia. The red berries in autumn are suitable for consumption and serve as a fruity ingredient for delicious jams, compotes and syrups. In addition, the cornelian cherry thrives with the hardest and heaviest wood in all of Europe. With this mix of extraordinary attributes, pruning care is reduced to training the shrub or tree, supplemented by thinning pruning at an advanced age.
The cornelian cherry grows very slowly and usually bears its first fruits after8 to 10 years. You can therefore devote the first few years to training during the winter period without affecting any possible crop yield.
To train the shrub, select 3 to 5 strong ground shoots as a framework in late winter. All other shoots are removed. Training to form a half-stem begins in late winter after planting with the strongest central shoot as the future trunk and 3 to 4 stable leading shoots. The following year, shorten the scaffold shoots on the bush and the leading shoots on the half-stem by a third before budding begins. Further branching then begins. Side branches sprouting below the crown are removed, as are vertical shoots that compete with the trunk.
When a cornelian cherry bears fruit for the first time, pruning care is reduced to a minimum. If necessary, cut back branches that are too long after flowering. When pruning, keep in mind that with every withered flower you reduce the chance of delicious cornelian cherries. Thin out an older shrub or an aging crown in late winter.
Carpet dogwood – this is how the perennial is cut
In the wide spectrum of diverse dogwood species, a ground cover should not be missing. The carpet dogwood takes on this task with flying colors. As one of the few herbaceous perennials within the dogwood genus, Cornus canadensis makes life easy for the gardener. In the middle of winter, the plant pulls in its leaves and shoots to rest. From mid-May the ground cover will be back with fresh shoots.
In view of an annual growth of 5 to 10 centimeters, pruning is unnecessary for carpet dogwoods. Many home gardeners consider the dead, dead plant parts to be a nuisance. It is your individual decision to restore the well-groomed appearance by cutting back to the ground level. Another argument in favor of pruning in late winter is that space is created for the growth of the young shoots.
Rejuvenation cuts boost growth
You can primarily prescribe a rejuvenation cut for colored wood dogwoods, as these species and varieties are consistentlyeasy to cut. The growth rockets within the genus make up for the lost shoot volume in no time after a radical cut. With slow-growing Cornus species and varieties, the privacy factor is lost for a few years, while at the same time the first flowering period after a rejuvenation cut takes a long time. How to skillfully perform a rejuvenation cut:
- The best time is between the beginning of November and the end of February on a frost-free day
- Thoroughly thin out all dead wood in advance
- Cut the remaining branches back to 20 to 30 cm
- The following year during late winter, determine the shape with a corrective cut
- Ideally shorten the outer shoots a little more than branches inside the bush
Flower dogwoods do not tolerate rejuvenation pruning. If, contrary to all expectations, a flowering bush ages, conservative care and thinning cuts in several stages have a chance of success. Start with small cuts in the outer part of the bush and work your way into the interior of the tree year after year after the flowering period.
Excursus
Tool
Dogwood wood is tough and resilient. Cutting older bushes in particular can require a lot of effort for the gardener. While pruning shears are sufficient for cutting one- to two-year-old shoots, this does not apply to thinning out over-aged ground shoots. Two-handed pruning shears (€36.00 at Amazon) with optimized power transmission are recommended for cutting shoots up to 35 millimeters. One-handed and two-handed scissors are available with either a bypass or anvil mechanism. For cutting branches with a diameter of more than 35 millimeters, we recommend a handy folding saw so that you can work effectively even in dense undergrowth.
Don't cut just anywhere - the skillful cutting technique
A clean cut is the key to success when pruning dogwoods. Frayed cuts, damaged buds, bruised shoots and stumps that are too long are perfect points of attack for pathogens and pests. Please use the scissors and saw in a targeted manner so that an ornamental shrub benefits fully from pruning. This cutting technique has proven to be excellent in tree care:
- Sharpen blades and saw blades and disinfect with alcohol
- Select cutting point at a distance of 4 to 6 millimeters above an outward-facing pair of buds
- Hold the tool at a slight angle, facing away from the opposite buds, as shown in the illustration below
Always position scissors so that the cutting blade rests on the part of the shoot that remains standing.
Never cut into a bud. On the other hand, don't leave a long stub.
Frequently asked questions
What to do if a dogwood is overgrown?
Some of the most beautiful dogwood species form numerous runners that spread throughout the garden. You can put an end to the invasive conquest with scissors and a pruning saw. The best time is in summer because cutting in the middle of the growing season significantly weakens growth. Cut all shoots back to ground level. Now the shrub cannot store reserve substances via its leaves, which reduces its growth potential.
Are cut dogwood shoots suitable for propagation?
The cuttings from colored wood dogwoods, such as the popular Cornus alba, are far too good to dispose of. Every bright red annual shoot has the potential to become a magnificent ornamental shrub. To do this, cut one or more 20 centimeter long cuttings above and below a pair of buds. In a partially shaded, protected propagation bed, place two thirds of the shoot sections in humus-rich, loose soil so that they take root quickly.
Typical cutting errors on dogwoods
Successful pruning of dogwood bushes also depends on you avoiding typical pruning mistakes. The following table lists the most common pruning mishaps home gardeners can make with tips for correcting them:
| Error | Episode | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Deadwood illuminated too timidly | no or only a few young branches grow back | Cut off dead shoots at ground level; don't leave any stubs |
| Buntwood dogwood never rejuvenated | no bright bark coloring in winter | put the bush on the stick in late winter |
| arching overhanging branches root in the ground | Formation of runners, invasive spread in the garden | cut back too long overhang down to a pair of buds at the apex |
Wie schneide ich Hartriegel (Cornus stolonifera flaviramea)
Tip
Flower dogwoods and cornelian cherries are highly valued in the design of Japanese gardens. Thanks to the uncomplicated pruning care, Cornus bushes fit seamlessly into Asian garden culture. The pretty flowers and decorative fruits act as the ideal contrast to authentic basic elements, such as white gravel and evergreen coniferous bonsai.
