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Celestial Shadow Dogwood Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

  • Celestial Shadow Dogwood Tree
  • Celestial Shadow Dogwood Tree
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Cornus x rutgersensis 'Celestial Shadow'

The Celestial Shadow dogwood tree, Cornus x rutgersensis 'Celestial Shadow,' is a spectacular specimen tree with four seasons of interest. In spring, it starts the growing season off with a mass of snowy white blossoms. These are replaced with stunning variegated leaves — something no other dogwood can claim — featuring a bright green center edged with white. In fall, those leaves turn unique shades of purple and fuschia, adding bright and unusual color to your garden. And in winter, the pleasingly twisted limbs and mottled gray bark provide texture when little else is happening in the garden. Here are a few more reasons to consider a Celestial Shadow dogwood tree for your garden or landscape:

  • The Celestial Shadow dogwood tree is resistant to diseases, including dogwood anthracnose.
  • It is easy to care for and needs little pruning.
  • It can handle a range of soil types, from sandy to clay.
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Plant Care

Sunlight

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The Celestial Shadow dogwood tree loves partial or filtered sun — four to six hours of sunlight a day.

Watering

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Water your dogwood once a week, giving it about an inch of water each time.

Fertilizing

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Give your Celestial Shadow dogwood a light feeding of a general-purpose, slow-release fertilizer in spring.

Planting and Care

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by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on August 4, 2022

Planting instructions

Your Celestial Shadow dogwood tree will thrive in a spot that gets filtered or light shade, in acidic soil that drains well and is high in organic matter. Unpot your sapling and tease out any encircling roots, which can girdle the tree and slowly kill it. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide. Place the tree in the hole, spreading out the roots. Holding it upright and steady, fill in around it with topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch, such as bark chips, around the root zone to conserve moisture and hinder weed growth, but avoid letting it touch the trunk, which can promote rot.

Watering and nutrients

Dogwood trees have shallow root systems and are at risk of drying out without consistent moisture. When newly planted, water your Celestial Shadow dogwood every few days. Once it is showing signs of robust new growth, you can taper back to once or twice a week. If the leaves turn light green, you may be giving it too much water. Drooping leaves may indicate either overwatering or underwatering. Fertilize lightly in spring with a balanced, slow-release product designed for landscape trees and shrubs, such as a 10-10-10 formula.

Pollination

The Celestial Shadow dogwood tree is a hybrid, meaning that it does not grow true to seed. Its parent plants are the American dogwood and Asian kousa dogwood, and it has features of both these standard trees, but the Celestial Shadow dogwood is more disease-resistant than either of them. The trees do produce pollen and may be attractive to pollinators.

Pruning

Your Celestial Shadow dogwood does not need annual pruning. Your only pruning task is to monitor the tree for dead, diseased, or damaged limbs, which should be cut out whenever you see them.

Pests and diseases

Few pests will bother your Celestial Shadow dogwood tree. You may see aphids or mites on the branches, but a healthy tree can fend these off on its own. The Celestial Shadow dogwood is resistant to the diseases that plague most dogwoods, including anthracnose, which can be deadly for dogwoods. It is not known to be prone to any other diseases.

Achieving maximum results

You can achieve maximum results with your Celestial Shadow dogwood tree by siting it properly in your garden. How can it be used best in a landscape setting? This lovely dogwood is an excellent specimen plant, and it more than holds its own as a single focal point, preferably in a spot where it is sheltered from hot afternoon sun. Dogwoods are a good choice for Asian-inspired gardens and can look stunning in cottage gardens, especially in spring when they are blooming. These shade-lovers also made a statement when planted at the edge of a wooded area, in front of larger deciduous trees or conifers.

FAQs

Where can the Celestial Shadow dogwood be grown?

This hardy tree can be grown anywhere where temperatures don't go below -10 degrees Fahrenheit. That includes areas within USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9. So except for the northern Midwest and New England and the tropical southern areas in Florida, it grows well throughout the contiguous U.S.

How large does a Celestial Shadow dogwood tree get?

The mature height of a Celestial Shadow dogwood tree is roughly 25 feet, which means it would be best sited away from any overhead utility cables. Its mature width is 20 feet, so if you are planting multiples, space them about that width apart to allow for good air circulation once they are grown.

Is the Celestial Shadow dogwood tree deciduous?

Yes. This dogwood will lose its leaves in winter, but only after they turn brilliant colors of fuschia, pink, and purple in the fall. This unusual fall display adds a dash of bright color to your garden and is followed by winter interest in the form of gracefully twisted branches that stand out against a snowy landscape.

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Mature height
25 ft
Mature width
20 ft
Sunlight requirement
Part Shade Preferred-- Tolerates Full Sun in Cooler Zones
Growth rate
Slow
Botanical name
Cornus x rutgersensis 'Celestial Shadow'
Shipping exclusions
AZ,FL
Grows Well In Zones
5-9
map
Growing Zones: 5-9 i Growing zones help determine if a particular plant is likely to grow well in a location. It identifies the average annual minimum winter temperatures across the U.S. provided as a map by the USDA.
(hardy down to -10°F)

Celestial Shadow Dogwood Tree

Cornus x rutgersensis 'Celestial Shadow'
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