Gray Dogwood Bush (Cornus racemosa) Live Plant, 14 inch, 1 Gallon Pot, Outdoor Shrub

Overview

Elevate your garden with the versatile Gray Dogwood Bush (Cornus racemosa), a stunning live plant that promises enduring natural beauty. This deciduous shrub, celebrated for its ornamental appeal, brings year-round interest to any garden. From its delicate white flowers blooming in late spring to its vibrant red stems providing winter charm, the Gray Dogwood Bush ensures your landscape remains captivating across all seasons. Native to North America, this resilient plant is a fantastic choice for gardeners seeking both aesthetic appeal and ecological benefits. The Cornus racemosa plant is an ideal selection for adding structure and visual depth to your landscape, creating a dynamic and engaging outdoor environment that evolves with the seasons. Its adaptability and charming features make it a truly rewarding addition to any home garden.

Our Gray Dogwood Bush arrives as a healthy 14-inch tall specimen in a 1 Gallon pot, ready for planting. This robust ornamental shrub is known for its moderate growth rate and relatively low water requirements, making it remarkably easy to care for. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or new to planting, this dogwood will thrive, enriching your garden for 20-30 years with its continuous display of natural beauty. Experience the joy of a low-maintenance yet high-impact plant that contributes positively to local ecosystems.

Key Benefits

Choosing the Gray Dogwood Bush for your garden offers a multitude of advantages, transforming your outdoor space into a vibrant and dynamic sanctuary. This exceptional shrub provides continuous interest and requires minimal effort, making it a favorite among gardeners.

• Year-Round Interest: Enjoy a continuous display of beauty throughout all seasons. Delicate white flowers emerge in late spring, followed by evolving berries that mature to an attractive gray, and finally, striking red stems that provide vivid color and structure during the winter months. This ensures your garden remains visually engaging no matter the time of year.
• Easy to Grow: The Cornus racemosa plant is highly adaptable to various conditions, thriving in full sun to partial shade and accommodating different soil types. Its resilience simplifies gardening efforts, making it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners seeking a hassle-free yet rewarding plant.
• Wildlife Attraction: The attractive berries produced by the Gray Dogwood Bush serve as a valuable food source for a variety of birds and other local wildlife. Planting this shrub helps support local ecosystems, bringing vibrant life and activity to your garden space, enhancing its natural appeal.
• Ornamental Value: This ornamental shrub adds significant beauty, structure, and visual appeal to any garden or landscape design. Its multi-seasonal interest, from blossoms to berries to colorful stems, ensures it stands out as a focal point, contributing elegance and character to your outdoor environment.
• Low Maintenance: Requiring only moderate watering once established and minimal pruning, the Gray Dogwood Bush is a remarkably low-maintenance addition to your outdoor space. This allows you to enjoy its beauty without the need for constant attention, freeing up time for other gardening activities.
• Native North American Plant: As a native North American plant, the Gray Dogwood is well-suited to local climates and ecosystems. It establishes easily and contributes to biodiversity, offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly choice for your landscape.
• Drought Tolerance: Once established, this dogwood exhibits good drought tolerance, reducing the need for frequent watering and making it a water-wise choice for sustainable gardening.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Gray Dogwood Bush (Cornus racemosa) is straightforward, making it an excellent choice for a wide range of gardeners. This resilient shrub thrives with consistent care during its establishment period and becomes quite self-sufficient once mature. For optimal growth, choose a planting location that receives full sun to partial shade. Full sun encourages more prolific flowering and vibrant stem color, while partial shade, especially in hotter climates, can protect the plant from intense afternoon heat. Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day. The easy-care dogwood adapts well to various lighting conditions, making it versatile for many garden settings.

The ideal soil for the Cornus racemosa plant is well-draining, moist, and rich in organic matter. While it tolerates a range of soil types, it prefers slightly acidic to neutral pH levels. Ensure the planting site has good drainage to prevent root rot, as waterlogged conditions can be detrimental. When watering, keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry spells and in its first year after planting. Once established, the Gray Dogwood Bush is moderately drought-tolerant, but supplemental watering during prolonged dry periods will promote healthier growth and better flowering. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer formulated for trees and shrubs. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can lead to excessive foliage at the expense of flowers and berries.

The Gray Dogwood Bush is hardy in USDA zones 4-8, tolerating a wide range of temperatures. It’s generally pest and disease resistant, making it a robust choice for most landscapes. Pruning is minimal and typically done in late winter or early spring to remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches. You can also prune to maintain shape or control size. Mulching around the base of the plant helps retain soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds. This ornamental shrub is a truly low-maintenance option that rewards you with beauty and ecological benefits for decades. Ensure you give your native North American plant a good start, and it will flourish.

Size & Details

This offering is for one Gray Dogwood Bush (Cornus racemosa) live plant, measuring approximately 14 inches tall from the top of the soil. It is shipped in a 1 Gallon nursery pot, complete with soil, ensuring it arrives healthy and ready for planting. The Gray Dogwood Bush is a deciduous shrub that typically matures to a height of 10-15 feet with a similar spread, providing excellent vertical interest and a substantial presence in the landscape. Its moderate growth rate means you’ll see noticeable development each year, but it won’t quickly outgrow its space. This long-lived plant can enrich your garden for 20-30 years or more, offering enduring beauty and ecological benefits.

The shrub’s form is typically multi-stemmed and somewhat rounded, developing a dense structure over time. The berries mature from green to a distinct gray-white, contrasting beautifully with the red stems. This native North American plant is a versatile choice for various garden applications, from naturalized areas and woodland gardens to mixed borders and privacy screens. Its resilience and adaptability contribute to its longevity and ease of establishment, making it an excellent investment for your garden. The easy-care dogwood is a robust specimen that will become a cherished part of your outdoor environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How tall will my Gray Dogwood Bush grow? A: The Gray Dogwood Bush typically matures to a height of 10-15 feet, providing excellent vertical interest and a substantial presence in the landscape. Its spread is usually similar to its height, creating a full, rounded form.
• Q: What are the best growing conditions for Cornus racemosa? A: This Cornus racemosa plant flourishes in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-draining soil that is consistently moist. It’s adaptable to various soil types but benefits from organic matter.
• Q: How often should I water my new Dogwood Plant? A: Water moderately, ensuring the soil remains consistently moist but not waterlogged, especially during dry spells and its first year. Once established, it has good drought tolerance.
• Q: Is the Gray Dogwood Bush safe for children and pets? A: Yes, this species of Gray Dogwood Bush is generally considered safe for both children and household pets, making it a family-friendly choice for your garden.
• Q: When is the ideal time to plant a Gray Dogwood? A: The best times for planting are typically in the spring or fall, allowing the roots to establish well before extreme temperatures of summer or winter.
• Q: Will this ornamental shrub attract wildlife to my garden? A: Absolutely! As a native North American plant, the berries of the Gray Dogwood are a valuable food source, attracting a variety of birds and other local wildlife, enhancing your garden’s biodiversity.
• Q: Is the Gray Dogwood Bush considered an easy-care dogwood? A: Yes, it is. With its adaptability to various conditions, moderate growth rate, and minimal pruning requirements, it’s considered an easy-care dogwood suitable for gardeners of all experience levels.
• Q: What condition will the plant arrive in? A: Your Gray Dogwood Bush will be shipped in its pot with soil, ensuring it arrives healthy and ready for planting. We take great care in packaging to protect the plant during transit.
• Q: What USDA hardiness zones is this plant suitable for? A: The Gray Dogwood is hardy in USDA Zones 4-8, indicating its ability to withstand a wide range of winter temperatures.
• Q: How much maintenance does this ornamental shrub require? A: This ornamental shrub is low maintenance, primarily requiring moderate watering when establishing and minimal pruning to maintain shape or remove dead branches.