DogwoodWhat is going on?

This dogwood tree has never been the kind of bloomer that is typical in our area. Planted another tree near it as replacement year before last.

My chainsaw quit as I was removing this one, so in disgust, I put the saw away and never did finish taking down the tree which was cut about half way thru.

Surprisingly, the tree actually thrived during an extremely hot, dry summer, and one of the worst winters we have experienced in many years.

Because it seemed to be full of bracts, I decided not to finish removal this spring just to see what happened.

It's display was heavy, but not spectacular at the regular dogwood bloom time in April.

Now an interesting thing is happening. It is putting out another display of bracts about 6 weeks later !!

Is there any explanation? I am debating whether to finish removing it.

This is an easy one: Yes, of course, fire up the saw and take it down. What are you waiting for? ;)

Pseudo, I would rather know why I got the reaction to the aborted cut from the tree. Then, I'll take it down>

It would really be hard to attribute the tree's flowering behavior to your attempt to cut it down.

You could provide more comprehensive images of the tree, though - that might reveal a lot more.

Show the whole tree. Show the parts of the tree that bloomed in April, versus the parts that are blooming now. Show clear images of flowers, buds, leaves, branches, fruit, etc. Show where you attempted to cut it down - trunks, branches, stems, bark.

I can imagine that you may have had a Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa) that was budded or grafted onto a dissimilar understock - like Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), or vice versa. Flowering Dogwood blooms much earlier in the year - April - versus Kousa Dogwood, which blooms in late May into June. If the understock of a grafted plant had thrown a sprout which was never removed and finally reached blooming age - Voilà! You have achieved this unusual (but not unheard of) situation with essentially two different plants in one, each doing its own thing in turn.

Maybe, now you'll want to nurse it back to health...

Yes, I would love to see a picture of the whole tree -- pre chainsaw.

viburnumValley, thank you for a very informative post, that is exactly the kind of information I was hoping for.

I have photos of all the things you mention that I will attempt to find but first let me give a couple observations.

the plant was originally purchased from a big box store (probably WM or HD) and grown as a single trunk.

I never allowed any lower growth and there was NO evidence of grafting.

The price I am sure I paid, also, would not indicated grafted stock.

Now let me see if I can find those photos.

ViburnumValley, hope these pictures offer some clues:

#1 April 20, 2014 this is about a week after other dw are in full bloom. You will not partially healed cut at base. All growth below the fork has always been trimmed away.

#2 is a closeup of flowering during the April bloom period. This was sold as a pink; it has never really been pink, even with the few flowers it has thrown in earlier seasons. The bracts this spring are much bigger and more abundant than in the past.

#3 A closeup of the cut in April. You can see the scar healing; I had expected it to die in last summer's heat

#4 A closeup bracts on tree at this moment

#5 One of the present branches with bracts. The same branch is covered with flower in photo #1

What I assume are fruit spurs are shown the last pic in the original post.

This message was edited May 31, 2014 12:14 PM

I just thought of something else this tree does that is not like other dw.

Notice in #2 the leaves are very well developed before the display starts.

All around the neighborhood the dw trees are billowing clouds of white/pink before leafing; wild dogwoods (which fill the woods around here) also display bracts, then leaf growth.

I'm sensing your Dogwood felt its life was threatened and tried desperately to propagate itself for the species survival. She's a beautiful little tree, I'd certainly keep it even if my preference is pink blooms. Then again, I'm a Cornus lover.

Mipii, I have to admit that my emotional reaction to this moves me to agree with you. I am a sucker for the struggling underdog.

This tree, for whatever reasons, speaks to me.

I know many will consider that sentimental craziness.

Then call me crazy too!

...in this case, you are rooting for the underdogwood...

Lol ML!