Several in my garden have flourished for more than twenty years, and only dogwoods planted in soil that was too damp have failed. Still, I don’t hesitate to recommend the native dogwood. I’ve not had the opportunity to evaluate ‘Appalachian Spring’, which is said to be more disease resistant, but it’s fair to question the long term prospects of any of the native dogwoods. More vigorous selections of the native dogwood, such as ‘Cherokee Princess’ and ‘Cherokee Brave’ are less troubled by mildew and antracnose, but their resistance is slight and the foliage of my dogwoods is spotted and mildewed in any damp spring.

is a wonderful tree, and if were not susceptible to a number of debilitating diseases there would be little need to argue the merits of non-natives. The dogwood (Cornus florida, above) that is native to much of the eastern U.S. The number of dogwoods is just right, I think. There are several cultivars that I would add immediately, if only there was enough space.

The catalog of Japanese maples goes on far too long, but it can easily be argued that the number of redbuds is too few. I have little doubt that you occasionally grow weary reading of the various collections of trees in the garden.

Stellar pink vs cherokee brave dogwood