The beautiful blooms of dogwood trees bring delight each spring. Their showy white, pink, or red flowers stand out brightly against the greening landscape. But some years, dogwood trees fail to bloom as expected. Seeing pictures of dogwood trees without flowers can help you identify and troubleshoot the issue.
Common Reasons Dogwoods Don’t Bloom
There are several key reasons a dogwood tree may not bloom:
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Improper pruning – Pruning at the wrong time of year removes next year’s flower buds. Prune immediately after flowering.
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Extreme weather – Late frosts, heavy snow, and extreme cold can damage buds. Dogwoods need a relatively sheltered location.
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Excess shade – Too much shade limits flowering. Dogwoods need morning sun and afternoon shade.
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Poor soil – Compacted, nutrient-deficient, or overly wet soil inhibits blooming. Dogwoods thrive in well-draining, fertile soil.
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Underwatering – Insufficient water especially during dry periods stresses trees and reduces flowering.
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Diseases and pests – Problems like anthracnose and borers sap energy, limiting bloom production
Photo Examples of Dogwood Trees Not Blooming
Seeing images of dogwood trees that aren’t flowering helps identify issues. Here are a few examples:
![Kousa dogwood tree with green leaves but no flowers][]
This kousa dogwood is leafing out well but shows no signs of flower buds Insufficient sunlight is a likely cause Moving the tree or pruning overhanging branches can improve light exposure,![Dogwood tree with sparse pink flowers][]
While this dogwood has some flowers, they are sparse. Extreme cold may have damaged many buds. Providing winter protection can help prevent similar issues in the future.![Dogwood with brown spotted leaves but no flowers][]
The spotted, damaged leaves on this dogwood indicate a disease problem, probably anthracnose. Treating the disease and improving growing conditions will encourage healthier flowering.![Young dogwood with bare branches and no flowers][]
As a young, newly planted tree this dogwood may not have reached flowering maturity yet. Patience and proper care will help it develop flowers in coming years.
Encouraging Your Dogwood to Bloom
If your dogwood disappoints with a lack of flowers, take heart. With attention to its needs, you can coax a spectacular floral display:
- Choose an area with morning sun and afternoon shade.
- Enrich soil with compost; keep soil consistently moist.
- Water deeply during dry periods to prevent drought stress.
- Apply acidic fertilizer early spring before bud break.
- Monitor for pests and disease; treat promptly.
- Prune immediately after flowering to avoid removing next year’s flower buds.
- Protect from harsh wind, winter extremes, and late frosts.
Sometimes dogwoods take a season off from flowering. But ensuring ideal growing conditions will get your tree back on track for stellar blooms. With proper care, you’ll once again enjoy your dogwood decked out in its spring glory.
Reasons for a Dogwood Tree Not Blooming
There are a lot of dogwood trees in the middle of lawns, and most lawn fertilizers have a lot of nitrogen in them. It’s good for leaf growth, which is why nitrogen is good for lawns. But too much nitrogen can stop a plant from flowering.
To correct this, stop using lawn fertilizer near your dogwood tree. Instead, use a balanced fertilizer or a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus.
Too Much or Too Little Sunlight
Dogwood trees grow naturally near the edges of forests. This means that they get some shade and some sun during the day. Does your dogwood tree spend all day in the sun or all day in the shade? If so, it might not bloom right.
When you plant a dogwood tree, consider the type of sun it will be getting. Your dogwood tree should get about a half day of sun to really blossom properly. You might want to move the tree or give it more light if you think sunlight is the problem.
A dogwood tree not blooming can be caused by improper pruning. The only time dogwood trees need to be pruned is after they have finished blooming. If you want to shape them, don’t prune them until after they are done blooming. Pruning dogwoods at other times can remove the immature buds and cause the dogwood tree not to flower.
Why is my dogwood tree not blooming?
FAQ
Do some dogwoods not flower?
What does Epsom salt do for dogwood trees?
What month do dogwood trees bloom?
How do I tell what kind of dogwood tree I have?
Are dogwood trees blooming a lot?
Dogwoods don’t produce the same amount of blooms every year. Some years they may be blooming a lot. On the other hand, in some years very few blooms may be seen. But if your dogwood tree is not blooming at all then it’s not normal.
Why is my dogwood not blossoming?
Let’s look at what causes a dogwood to not blossom. Many dogwood trees are planted in the middle of lawns and most lawn fertilizers are very high in nitrogen. Nitrogen is good for growth of leaves, which is why it makes a good lawn fertilizer, but too much nitrogen can stop a plant from flowering.
How to grow a dogwood tree?
You need to use a balanced fertilizer that is also rich in phosphorus. Because phosphorus will help in blooming. So, get the best fertilizer for your dogwood tree to help with its flowering ( our pick: Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Plant Food). You can also use well-decomposed manure and organic compost.
When do dogwood trees bloom?
The dogwood trees bloom in April or early May. How do get dogwood to bloom? Provide partial shade and enough moisture. Also, apply dogwood blooming fertilizer and prune properly to get your dogwood to bloom.