Cloud 9 Dogwood for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on October 20, 2022

Planting instructions

Throughout most parts of this plant’s growing range, it should live where there is partial shade, about four to six hours of sunlight per day. However, in cooler regions, a Cloud 9 Dogwood will perform better with full sunlight. Typically, acidic soils with good drainage are best for this tree. Once you find such conditions, you should dig a hole that is twice as wide as the root ball and deep enough to keep the plant’s root flare just above the soil’s surface.

Watering and nutrients

During the first and seconds growing seasons, you should aim to water your Cloud 9 Dogwood often enough to maintain consistent soil moisture without creating waterlogged soil. Once this tree is established, it’s best to water based on soil moisture. When you notice that the first few inches of soil have become dry, it’s time to add water. The exact frequency of your watering will depend on the season and your growing location. You can fertilize this plant once per year in early spring using a fertilizer that is balanced or high in nitrogen.

Pollination

As is true of most dogwood trees, the Cloud 9 Dogwood carries both male and female flowers on a single plant. Typically, this means that the plant should be capable of self-pollination. However, many dogwoods are self-incompatible which means that you need to plant multiple in order to produce fruits. While gardeners do not grow those fruits for the sake of harvest, they often do want to promote fruiting as the glossy red fruits can increase the visual appeal of this plant.

Pruning

Often, it is unwise to prune a dogwood significantly during its active growth phase. During spring and summer, a lot of sap runs through the trunk and branches of a dogwood and pruning during that time will cause the tree to bleed. It’s better to prune during late fall or winter when the tree is dormant. However, even then, your pruning should be light to avoid removing too many of the next season’s flower buds.

Pests, diseases and animals

One of the most common diseases to affect the Cloud 9 Dogwood Tree is spot anthracnose—a disease that can cause spots and blotches on both the flowers and foliage. However, the Cloud 9 Dogwood is otherwise very resistant to pests and diseases. Specifically, it has better resistance to canker than most other dogwood varieties. Since this tree does not often have issues with insects, the Cloud 9 Dogwood proves to be a lovely ornamental that is relatively easy to keep healthy.

Achieving maximum results

When planting a Cloud 9 Dogwood tree, you should give it plenty of space overhead and in all lateral directions. Compared to other dogwoods and most other popular flowering trees, the Cloud 9 Dogwood is on the larger side. At maturity, this tree can reach a size of about 25 feet tall and wide. As such, the spreading nature of this plant’s canopy allows it to serve as an effective shade tree during the hot summer months.

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