One of the most appealing features of many dogwoods is the graceful beauty of their tiered, horizontal branching. This is especially true of flowering and kousa dogwoods sited in shade. Cornelian cherry tends to be multi-stemmed and is formed more like a shrub than a tree. The flowering dogwood is susceptible to many diseases and insect pests. Some kousa dogwoods are more resistant to these pests than flowering dogwood.
Cornelian cherry is generally pest-free.
For more information on disease and insect problems on dogwoods, refer to Dogwood Problems , HGIC 2003. While all dogwoods do well in full sun or partial shade, the flowering dogwood prefers partial shade. Good air circulation is necessary to hasten drying of leaves after rainfall and lower the risk of disease. Watering should always be done in the morning to reduce risk of disease. Heavily mulch a large area around the tree to help retain moisture and prevent mechanical damage from lawn mowers and trimmers.