← Bedfellow

Pagoda Dogwood

Cornus alternifolia

Also known as: Alternate-leaf Dogwood

The only dogwood with alternate leaves — all others are opposite. Distinctive tiered horizontal branches give it the common name. Bluish-black drupes ripen on red stems.

Family

Cornaceae

Type

tree

Lifespan

perennial

Height

15–25 ft

Spacing

20–32 ft apart

Light

part shade, shade

Soil moisture

moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

April, May, June

Bloom colors

white

Wildlife value

songbirds, butterflies, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~118 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

specimen, hedge or screen

Native states

AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV