I remember a landscaper from McKay Nursery in southern Wisconsin who would plant a Pagoda Dogwood to the side of each house in the front yard as his signature in Wisconsin and northern Illinois. This species is a really beautiful tree that is clean and neat with a number of good characteristics all year long: pretty foliage, nice flowers, good red fall color, smooth bark, and a great form with its wide, horizontal, tiered, wishbone branching. Its native range is from Nova Scotia down to north Georgia to Missouri up to northern Minnesota in upland forest. It is offered by a good number of conventional and native nurseries. It is not well-known by the general public, but it is cherished by professional landscape architects and designers. It needs good quality soil that is moist, slightly acid to slightly alkaline. It does best with shelter from hot, dry strong winds and it does not do well with strong drought. It should be used more than it is.

Reply to this comment

The fruits provide food for at least eleven species of birds and the black bear. The leaves and bark are eaten by white-tailed deer, beaver, and cottontail rabbit.

Reply to this comment

The Pagoda Dogwood is a slow growing small ornamental tree that has irregular tiers of branches giving it a somewhat horizontal, layered look. The pale yellow flowers in spring are followed by blue-black fruits. Outstanding purple to red fall color. This is a lovely tree that does very well in a mostly shaded area in my zone 3a garden.

Reply to this comment