How To Prune Dogwood

Learning how to prune dogwood is a key skill for keeping these beautiful shrubs and trees healthy and looking their best. Whether you grow them for their stunning spring flowers, colorful winter stems, or elegant form, a good prune makes all the difference. This guide gives you the expert techniques you need.

Pruning might seem tricky, but it’s really about understanding what your specific dogwood needs. The right cut at the right time encourages more flowers, brighter stems, and a stronger plant. Let’s look at the simple steps to get it right.

This main principle covers the overall approach. The specific method changes depending on why you’re growing your dogwood. The most common types fall into two groups: those grown for flowers and those grown for colorful winter stems.

Know Your Dogwood Type First

Before you make a single cut, identify your dogwood. Using the wrong method can cost you a season of beauty.

Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida, C. kousa): These are often small trees. You prize them for their big, beautiful spring blooms (which are actually bracts).
Stem-Color Dogwoods (Cornus alba, C. sanguinea, C. sericea): These are usually shrubs. They are grown for their vivid red, yellow, or orange young stems that shine in winter.
Other Varieties: Some, like the Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas), have their own quirks. When in doubt, look up your specific variety.

The Best Time to Prune

Timing is everything. It depends on your goal.

For Flowering Dogwoods: Prune them right after their flowers fade in late spring or early summer. They set next year’s flower buds in the summer, so pruning later means cutting off next spring’s show.
For Stem-Color Dogwoods: Prune these hard in late winter or very early spring, just before new growth starts. This sacrifice of old growth forces out the new, brightly colored stems for the next winter.
For General Health: You can remove dead, diseased, or damaged wood at any time of year.

Essential Pruning Tools You’ll Need

Clean, sharp tools make clean cuts that heal fast. Have these ready:

Bypass Hand Pruners: For stems up to 3/4-inch thick.
Loppers: For branches from 3/4 inch to about 1.5 inches.
A Pruning Saw: For larger limbs.
Rubbing Alcohol or a Disinfectant: To clean your tools between cuts, especially if you suspect disease.

How to Prune Flowering Dogwoods (For Blooms)

The goal here is to preserve the flower buds and maintain a nice shape. Follow these steps:

Start by removing all dead, diseased, or rubbing branches. Cut them back to their point of origin or to healthy wood.
Next, look for any suckers (fast-growing vertical shoots) coming from the base or trunk. Remove these completly.
To improve air and light, thin out crowded areas. Remove select branches back to a main stem or the trunk. Aim for a balanced, open structure.
Make cuts just outside the branch collar (the slight swelling where the branch meets the trunk). Don’t leave stubs.
Limit major shaping. Flowering dogwoods have a natural form that’s best left mostly untouched.

How to Prune Stem-Color Dogwoods (For Winter Color)

This method, called coppicing or stooling, is more drastic. It encourages lots of new, young stems with the brightest color.

In late winter, cut all or most of the stems down to a low framework. For mature shrubs, cut them to within 6 to 9 inches of the ground.
You can also use a renewal method. Each year, cut out about one-third of the oldest, dullest stems right to the base. This keeps a mix of ages while constantly encouraging new growth.
The plant will respond with vigorous new shoots in spring. These will mature and show their brilliant color by the following winter.

Expert Shaping and Training Tips

Beyond basic cuts, a few pro techniques can enhance your dogwood’s structure.

For a Tree Form: On shrubby types, you can train a single stem as a trunk. Remove lower side shoots and any competing leaders over a few seasons.
Thinning vs. Heading Back: “Thinning” removes a branch at its source. It’s usually better than “heading back,” which is shortening a branch. Thinning looks more natural and reduces disease risk.
The 3 D’s Rule: Always prioritize removing Dead, Diseased, and Damaged wood first. This is non-negotiable for plant health.

Common Pruning Mistakes to Avoid

Steer clear of these errors to keep your dogwood thriving.

Pruning Flowering Types in Winter: You’ll cut off all the flower buds. It’s a common but disappointing mistake.
Topping the Tree: Lopping off the top of a flowering dogwood ruins its shape and invites disease. Never do this.
Using Dull or Dirty Tools: This makes ragged tears that heal slowly and can spread infection.
Over-pruning: Removing more than 25-30% of the canopy in one year stresses the plant. Sometimes less is more.

Aftercare Following Pruning

A little care after pruning helps your dogwood recover quickly.

Water the plant well if conditions are dry. This reduces stress.
You can apply a light layer of compost around the base (keep it away from the trunk) to provide nutrients for new growth.
Avoid applying strong fertilizer right after heavy pruning; it can encourage to much weak, soft growth.

FAQ: Your Dogwood Pruning Questions Answered

Can I prune my dogwood in the fall?

It’s not recommended. Fall pruning can stimulate new growth that won’t harden off before winter, making it vunerable to cold damage. It’s better to wait for the correct season.

How do you prune an overgrown dogwood?

For an overgrown flowering dogwood, spread the work over 2-3 years. Each year after blooming, remove some of the oldest, thickest branches at the base to open it up. For overgrown stem-color shrubs, you can simply cut the whole thing down to 9 inches in late winter—they’ll bounce back.

Why is my dogwood not flowering after pruning?

This usually means you pruned at the wrong time (likely late summer, fall, or winter) and removed the flower buds. Wait until right after its next bloom to prune, and it should flower again the following year.

How much can you cut back a dogwood?

Stem-color dogwoods can be cut back to almost ground level. For flowering dogwoods, never remove more than about a quarter of the living branches in a single season to avoid shock.

Do dogwoods need to be pruned every year?

Stem-color types benefit from annual pruning for the best color. Flowering dogwoods only need occasional pruning for health and shape, not necessarily every single year.

With these expert techniques, you can approach pruning with confidence. Remember, the most important steps are identifying your dogwood type and choosing the right time of year. Sharp tools and clean cuts keep the plant healthy. A well-pruned dogwood is more than just a plant; it’s a testament to good garden care that rewards you with seasons of interest.