Dogwood, Cherokee Princess (White)

Cherokee Princess® White Dogwood (Cornus florida 'Cherokee Princess')

Cherokee Princess® is an outstanding selection of our beloved native Flowering Dogwood, prized for its large, brilliant white spring blooms, vigorous growth, and exceptional landscape performance. This graceful understory tree provides four seasons of interest with spectacular flowers, rich green summer foliage, vibrant red fall color, and clusters of glossy red berries that sustain wildlife into autumn. It is equally at home in woodland gardens, native landscapes, edible forest edges, and as a stunning specimen tree.

Key Characteristics

An early-season nectar source with exceptional wildlife value
The large white floral bracts surround clusters of tiny true flowers that provide nectar and pollen for a variety of native bees, mining bees, sweat bees, and early-emerging pollinators. By late summer and fall, bright red fruits become an important food source for over 35 species of birds, including Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Cardinals, American Robins, Gray Catbirds, and Cedar Waxwings. Small mammals also consume the fruit, helping disperse the seeds.

A keystone understory tree for native woodland ecosystems
Flowering Dogwood serves as a larval host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly and supports numerous native moth species whose caterpillars become an important food source for nesting songbirds. Its layered branching structure provides excellent nesting sites and protective cover, making it one of the most ecologically valuable small native trees for woodland-edge plantings.

Four seasons of ornamental beauty
Cherokee Princess® produces an abundant display of large white blooms in spring that are followed by lush green foliage throughout summer. In autumn, the leaves transform into brilliant shades of scarlet, burgundy, and purple before revealing attractive branching architecture that provides winter interest.

Perfect for woodland gardens and regenerative landscapes
This selection thrives beneath the light canopy of larger trees or along woodland edges where it naturally occupies the understory layer. It integrates beautifully into food forests, native hedgerows, streambank plantings, and mixed pollinator landscapes alongside Redbud, Serviceberry, Spicebush, and native ferns, creating diverse, resilient plant communities.

Product Details

• Native range: Cultivar of a species native to eastern North America
• Plant life cycle: Perennial tree
• Sun requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil requirements: Medium to medium-wet
• Mature height: 20–25 feet
• Bloom time: April – May
• Bloom color: White
• USDA Hardiness zones: 5–9

Cherokee Princess® performs best in moist, well-drained soils rich in organic matter with afternoon shade in warmer climates. Apply a layer of mulch to keep roots cool and evenly moist, and avoid disturbing the shallow root system. Whether planted as a specimen tree, incorporated into a woodland garden, or used as part of a layered food forest, this elegant native provides lasting beauty while supporting pollinators, birds, and beneficial wildlife throughout the year.