Cherry Blossom Vs Dogwood: [Key Similarities And Differences]

Determining Cherry Blossom vs Dogwood is a topic of concern as both varieties look like cousins but aren’t related to each other.

Cherry Blossoms need 6 hours of direct sunlight, but you must protect young Dogwood from extreme afternoon sunlight.

So, dig into this article to know the significant differences between Cherry Blossom and Dogwood despite their similarities.

Cherry Blossom And Dogwood: Similarities

These ornamental trees are flowering plants perfect for renovating your lawn with attractive spring blossoms.

You can plant Cherry Blossoms and Dogwoods to decorate your garden, parks, landscapes, and other outdoor spaces.

• Both varieties bloom in the spring season with their vibrant colored blossoms.
• The flowers are with multiple petals with white, pink, or red color.
• Cherry Blossom and Dogwood are deciduous trees shedding their leaves in fall.
• Flowers of both varieties have cultural significance in many Asian countries like China and Japan.
• Moreover, the blossoms of both varieties have their own symbolic meanings including rebirth and beauty. 
• The planting requirements are similar as both require well-draining soil.

Cherry Blossom Vs Dogwood: Differences

Although Cherry Blossom and Dogwood look similar, both are significantly different if you look at their leaves, flowers, and growing habits.

Moreover, Dogwood lives for 100-200 years, which is longer than Cherry Blossom, having a lifespan of about 50-100 years.

1. Origin And Family

Regarding nativity, Cherry Blossom belongs to Asia, having great cultural importance for the people in countries like China and Japan.

Moreover, Cherry Blossom is from the Rosaceae family, whereas Dogwood comes from the family Cornaceae.

Thus, both varieties are different, as Cherry Blossom is from the Prunus genus while Dogwood is from the Cornus genus.

2. Flower Nature

The major difference between Dogwood and Cherry Blossom flowers is the structure, as Cherry Blossom bears flowers with five petals.

Meanwhile, flowers in Dogwoods are four-petaled with a characteristic starlike shape.

Furthermore, Dogwood flowers are smaller, with 0.5-1 inches in diameter, compared to 1-2 inches in diameter flowers in Cherry Blossoms.

Despite similar White or pink colored flowers in both varieties, some varieties of Cherry Blossom may bear yellow flowers.

However, the difference in flower color also ranges in Dogwood, as some species bear purple-colored blossoms.

3. Appearance

When you look closely, the Cherry Blossom tree consists of lanceolate leaves having zig-zag edges.

Meanwhile, the leaves in Dogwoods are oval-shaped and opposite with smooth margins.

But the leaves in some Dogwood varieties are deep green and may turn purple during fall at the time of shedding.

Moreover, Cherry Blossom barks are smooth with gray-brown color, but Dogwood may be reddish brown, slightly rough barks.

Additionally, Cherry Blossom may reach a height of up to 40 feet, whereas Dogwoods are smaller with 20-30 feet height. 

4. Growth Habits

The growth habits in Cherry Blossom are straight and spreading, whereas Dogwood grows compactly in a rounded form.

Moreover, Cherry blossoms with medium to fast growth rate compared to Dogwood, with a slow to medium growth rate.

Although the blooming season is spring, Cherry Blossom blooms in late spring, whereas Dogwood blooms during early spring.

5. Growing Conditions

The growing conditions of both varieties are different as Dogwood needs minimal maintenance than Cherry Blossom.

Moreover, Dogwood needs more acidic soil than Cherry blossom, which requires more loamy soil.

Proper watering is necessary for young Cherry Blossoms as they are susceptible to root rot in waterlogged soil.

Meanwhile, Dogwoods can handle water stress better than Cherry Blossoms and is more drought tolerant.

Furthermore, Dogwood trees do not need frequent pruning as Cherry Blossom due to their tidy shape.

Additionally, Cherry Blossom is more susceptible to pests and diseases needing pesticides and fungicides or neem oil spray.