Re: Pagoda dogwood

Cathy - rhodies, azaleas and dogwoods don't do well here either. That's
why I plant viburnums! Pretty, useful (berries for my birdies) and much
lower maintenance. There is a rough-leaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii)
that does better in Texas than the regular Cornus florida. It also
flowers, just not as showy. According to Howard Garrett (the Dirt
Doctor) - this plant is graceful and tough, should be used in more
natural gardens. native from Eastern US to TX. Easy to grow in any soil.

May be worth a try if your heart is set on dogwoods.

Just a thought!!

Pam

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date:  Wed, 21 May 2003 03:26:15 -0400

>I don't know about Pagodas, Cathy, but Cornus florida is one of those
>trees whose provenance makes a difference.  For instance, if I were
>to send you seed from the trees in my garden, it is most likely that
>they would not prove hardy in yours although the tree is native into
>the midwest.
>
>So, where your local nurseries get their trees is an issue - and
>where the seeds that grew them came from.  Most nurseries buy from
>wholesalers who buy from growers all over the map.  If you could find
>a C. florida growing well in your area and get some seed, most likely
>the progeny would flourish for you.  Seed is not difficult to
>germinate.  It needs to be fresh, cleaned of the red covering (a
>thumbnail is good for this) and have a min. 140 day cold
>stratification, which can be accomplished in the fridge or by
>planting outside in the fall and protecting from rodents and
>squirrels with some wire hardware cloth.
>
>I would also suspect that your soil is on the alkaline side, which is
>why rhodies do not do well - and possibly another reason you've had
>bad luck with C. florida; it prefers a soil on the acid side.  They
>are also understory trees (my woods is full of them), and if you are
>trying to grow it in full sun, it will be more likely to be stressed.
>
>Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
>mtalt@hort.net
>Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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>> From: cathy carpenter <cathyc@rnet.com>
>> 
>> How do Pagodas hold up in our climate? I've always wanted one, but 
>> dogwoods do not seem to do well in my area (dogwoods and
>rhododendrons 
>> are the only shrubs/trees that nurseries will not guarantee). They
>do 
>> alright in town, but out here in the county....put it this way - I 
>> planted four Cornus florida, lost three, and the fourth is clinging
>to 
>> life by its root hairs.
>> Cathy, west central IL, z5b
>> On Tuesday, May 20, 2003, at 08:10 AM, Cersgarden@aol.com wrote:
>
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--
Pam Evans
Kemp TX/zone 8A



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