Dogwoods in So. Calif.

I have seen blooming Dogwoods at three different nurseries this past week in the Long Beach/So. Bay area...I am VERY hesitant about them growing here...does anyone have any info. or experience with them? I'm very skeptical...

I just started growing a dogwood here in San Jose last year. A friend of mine has had one for years and says it does OK. However, the nursery I got mine from said it had to be carefully sited in filtered shade and that it would not thrive as it would in a colder area. Since you're in Long Beach, your climate may be even more unsuitable for dogwoods.

They are so lovely, though!

I agree Lilystorm...I think they are just trying to sell plants...just like the so called Lilacs for this climate...I think this is what they call "zone pushing"...

Yes, unfortunately, many nurseries set out plants that look good on the shelf but that aren't necessarily suitable for a California climate. I had a lilac for many years. It was lovely and the smell was awesome. I wouldn't say it performed very well, though.

I, too, was the ultimate skeptic, not to mention totally in shock when I saw them at several nurseries -- and good nurseries that I truly believe are very honest (I'm a good customer, what do they have to gain by lying?) I've recently returned to Long Beach after 30 years in the Washington D.C. area, and I must admit that I was missing my dogwoods and so was willing to give them a try. Here I am a few blocks from the ocean and I have 4 dogwoods (Cornus Florida) that have been doing just fine for 2 years. They are currently loded with the beginnings of next spring's bracts. They certainly don't grow quickly like they do in Virginia, and they do like a weekly deep watering. They seem more unhappy about wind than heat or direct sun. A good friend of mine lives on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and hers are doing even better than mine. Hers are planted in a much shadier area than mine...indeed, on wooded property. They get more chill time at her home too. So, while I felt rather weird to take the chance -- like I can't live without dogwood? -- I'm very glad I did. There's nothing quite like them.

I saw some at Brita's in Seal Beach and was very surprised. I didn't ask about them however. Since they're showing up at different nurseries,is it possible that they are ones being bred for warmer climates? I'd check into it if I could figure out how to squeeze in even one more tree on my property! They wouldn't harmonize well with the eucalyptus anyway I suppose......
Sherry

Cornus sericea is native to CA so it should definitely do fine here--not sure how it compares to kousa, florida, etc for looks though. There was another thread on here a week or two ago where someone wanted info on Cornus florida and someone said it should do fine (at least near the coast, that was the location in question at the time)

I don't know what it is but there's a dogwood that is in full sun in my neighborhood that blooms beautifully. Would you like me to leave them a note and ask them about it? I had some Cornus Kousas but they never did much of anything. Of course one was in total shade and the other was almost under an English Walnut. LOL What zone are you in Jasperdale? It would be great if you would put it under your name in the box.

However, one of the best nurseries in town carries plants that won't possibly do well here like peonies. They also carry fuchsias and we have fuchsia gall mite very badly here.

I must say I was totally floored upon coming across dogwood in southern California. I first saw them at a garden show at South Coast Plaza and thought to myself 'yeh, sure'... But then I found them at a very small and likely my very favorite local nursery. The owner, of course, had already heard about my story of returning to Long Beach, as well as having put up with my complete skepticism about the success of dogwood in coastal southern California. But, I gotta say...I 'bit' and planted three in my yard. as well as three in a friend's yard in Palos Verdes. This spring is their second, and they truly seem quite happy. I must laugh -- the nurseries in northern Virginia (where they are the state tree) describe them as slow growing. Yeh...I had a dogwood forest in my Arlington yard in no time. So, here in southern California, I would describe them as slow growing. The two exposed to wind are less happy than the one that is more sheltered. But, I can look out my windows here in mid-March and see all three happily blooming! And, the three in my friend's Palos Verdes yard, where they are in much more of a woodland setting, are even happier. So, for whatever it's worth....

Wouldn't the Evergreen Dogwood (Cornus capitata) http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/31681/index.html be the best for So. Calif? It's listed in The Western Garden Book as Z 8,9, 14-20. Just a thought. I also noticed C. 'Eddie's White Wonder' is listed to Z 20 but I'd think it'd burn a bit.

Dogwood - one of my favorite trees. Peony - one of my favorite flowers. We call our house Breezedale for a reason. When we have Santa Ana winds, they suck the moisture out of everything, plus we have no shade except under pine trees. We grow natives as much as possible and try to get close to some of our favorites.

We just planted a Cornus stolonifera (according to Las Pilitas: Cornus X calif. see Cornus stolonifera. it is identical, the new name is C. sericea.)
which is completely different than the beautiful eastern dogwood, but it seems happy where it's growing (let's see what the summer brings) and we're looking forward to seeing it thrive - the color of the bark is beautiful. Fingers crossed. :-)

Kathleen

Doss...I'm in zone 10...don't know if it's A or B.....or if that even matters...I never even noticed it's not listed under my name ! My HUGE Voodoo fuchsia froze this winter...it's now toast.

I used to have several fuchsias, then gave up because of the gall mite, and because I have way less shade for them now.

I DID have very good success with "Cookes Garden Spray" for the gall mite. You need to use a spray that has THIODAN in it. It appears to be the only thing that get's rid of them.