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Description

Description

• Height and Spread: The ‘Cherokee Princess’ Dogwood typically grows 20 to 25 feet tall with a spread of 25 to 30 feet. It has a rounded, spreading crown and a graceful branching pattern, making it an attractive specimen tree.
• Leaves: Features oval to ovate leaves that are dark green in summer, turning shades of red to purple in the fall. The foliage provides a lush backdrop for the tree’s striking flowers and adds vibrant autumn color to the landscape.
• Flowers: Boasts large, showy white bracts that surround a cluster of small, yellowish-green true flowers at the center. The bracts are particularly large and overlap, creating a stunning display in early spring. The blooms appear before the leaves, making them even more prominent.
• Growth Habit: ‘Cherokee Princess’ Dogwood has an upright, spreading habit. It forms a multi-stemmed or low-branched tree, making it ideal for use as a small shade tree or as an ornamental focal point.

Habitat and Cultivation

• Adaptability: Native to the eastern United States, the ‘Cherokee Princess’ Dogwood is adaptable to a variety of soil conditions but prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soils. It is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9 and thrives in both urban and rural settings.
• Soil and Sunlight: Prefers rich, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic. It performs best in partial shade, particularly in areas with hot summers, but can tolerate full sun in cooler climates. Adequate moisture and mulch around the base help protect the roots and maintain soil health.
• Watering: Requires regular watering, especially during the first few years after planting. The tree prefers consistent moisture but can tolerate short periods of drought once established.

Care and Maintenance

• Pruning: Minimal pruning is required, but it’s advisable to remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches in late winter or early spring to maintain the tree’s health and structure. Avoid heavy pruning, as it can reduce flowering.

Landscaping Use

• The ‘Cherokee Princess’ Dogwood is versatile in the landscape, suitable for use as a specimen tree, in mixed borders, or in woodland gardens. Its early spring blooms make it a focal point in the garden, and its compact size allows it to be used in smaller spaces or as an understory tree beneath larger trees.
• It also provides year-round interest, with showy flowers in spring, vibrant foliage in fall, and attractive bark in winter. Combine it with other shade-tolerant plants, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, and ferns, for a naturalistic and harmonious garden display.