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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Washington, D.C. » National Arboretum » Floral and Nursery Plants Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #318863
Title: Influence of shading on container-grown flowering dogwoods

Author
item BURROWS, MATTHEW, W. - Auburn University
item Fare, Donna

Submitted to: Southern Nursery Association Research Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/14/2015
Publication Date: 10/28/2015
Citation: Burrows, Matthew, W., Fare, D.C. 2015. Influence of shading on container-grown flowering dogwoods. Southern Nursery Association Research Conference. 60:11-18.

Interpretive Summary: Flowering dogwood is considered one of the most beautiful and important small flowering trees utilized in the nursery and landscape industry. Container - grown trees are an important product for the nursery and landscape industry; however dogwoods in container production has been a challenge. These data show that bareroot dogwoods, Cherokee Brave and Cherokee Princess, can be successfully grown when transplanted into container production and grown under shade. Plants grown under 50 percent black or white shade cloth had more height growth than plants under 30 percent black shade or plants grown in full sun. Plants responded more dramatically from July to September than February to July. Height and trunk diameter growth doubled or in some cases tripled between August and September especially under shade treatments, whereas between February and July growth was considerably less. The lack of early season growth may be a result of transplant shock of the bare root liners into container culture.

Technical Abstract: Bare root dogwoods can be successfully grown when transplanted into a container production system. Shade treatments regardless of color or density did have an effect on the plant growth of Cherokee Brave™ and Cherokee Princess dogwood. Plants grown under 50% black and 50% white shade had more height growth than plants under 30% black or plants in full sun. However, plants responded more dramatically from July to Sept than from February to July. Height and trunk diameter growth doubled or in some cases tripled between August and September especially under shade treatments compared to growth between February and July. Light intensity was not a major component of fertilizer release patterns in the container substrate. More research is needed to reduce the initial transplanting shock and refine the period and longevity of shade intensity of container grown dogwoods.