Cherokee Chief Dogwood Tree
Cornus florida 'Cherokee Chief'
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Cherokee Chief Dogwood Tree - #3 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
From | To | S&H |
---|---|---|
$0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
$20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
$50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
$70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
$100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
$130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
$150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
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2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
#1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
#3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
#6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
#7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Cherokee Chief Dogwood Tree highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Fall Color
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Pollinator Friendly
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Fragrant
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodEarly Spring, Late Spring

Growing Zones 5-9
Beautiful, steadfast color, introducing one of the best Flowering Dogwoods on the market! The ultra-colorful Cherokee Chief (Cornus florida 'Cherokee Chief') will show up in grand fashion if you want to make a big statement in your landscape! This deciduous tree has shades of red coloration from start to finish! The floral bracts surrounding the tiny true flowers are bright ruby! The new leaves come out with a definite red overlay, and burnish back to burgundy in fall!
Wide-spreading branch structure looks delicate and lyrical. The Dogwood bloom season is all the more romantic with a red-flowering variety like this one. The intricate blooms are comprised of four wide bracts, held flat behind a button-like center of tiny, true flowers. These trees are great early spring nectar resources for local butterflies and bees, who'll come to call, all day long, for many days in a row.
Each branch is dressed in a classy red cloak as the second colorful showing of the season. Then enjoy the dappled shade cast by the textured, pointed, dark green leaves all summer long. This variety shines in fall when the leaves deepen dramatically into rich burgundy-red. Look closely for the flower's red fruits. The songbirds will certainly see them and flicker from branch to branch!
Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 9, Cherokee Chief grows to a rounded canopy 15-20 feet tall and wide. The low branching allows you to use this colorful deciduous tree as a screening hedge or 'limb it up' into a small ornamental tree with ease!
Planting and Application:
Let this low-branched accent tree become a living exclamation point in your yard! You'll look brilliant for using this fiery choice! Use these showy Dogwood trees as a specimen to be proud of in your foundation planting. You'll love the way the wonderfully intense color adds interest to mature evergreens. Make space for one 15 feet away from the corner of your house.
Depending on where you use it, you'll be tempted to place some comfortable seating near your Cherokee Chief. A series of multiple trees look great on the sunny side of older evergreen trees, beneath a dappled understory, or in naturalized groupings to create a wildlife habitat! Add Cherokee Chief Dogwood and several of our incredible Redbud flowering trees on the east side of windbreaks and shelterbelts. You'll easily add flowering interest and fall color!
They'll make an incredible backdrop in your shrub border, as well. Repeat their use along your fence, and you'll define your property in a gorgeous way. For a solid display where the canopies grow together and touch, plant them 15 feet apart on center. You'll measure from the center of one to the center of the next. Vary the spacing from 15 to 30 feet apart on center, if you want a natural screening border along a woodland's edge. Don't use a straight line in this application, vary the spacing to create a loose zig-zag, as well.
- Highly Pigmented Flowers & Foliage!
- Tiny Flowers Surrounded by Showy Red Flower Bracts
- Long-Lasting Floral Display Supports Pollinators
- Graceful, Spreading Form
- Fine-Textured Leaves Emerge Bronze-Red
- Burgundy Red Fall Color Accented by Red Fruit - Favored by Birds!
- Attractive Gray Bark Gets Textured with Age
- Excellent Springtime Garden Feature, Woodland Accents & Specimens
- Outstanding Cultivar of Native Flowering Dogwood
#ProPlantTips for Care:
If summers are very hot where you live, plant Cherokee Chief Dogwood tree where it will receive morning sun and partial shade in the afternoon. Otherwise, the full sun will help your tree generate the best color. If you can, plant it in slightly acidic soils that are well-drained. If your soil is alkaline, you should consider using some soil sulfur or aluminum sulfate to help lower the soil pH. Use a raised bed for faster-drained soils, if needed. Spread a three-inch layer of pine bark mulch or pine straw spread over the root system. Reapply regularly, as it will break down to nourish your soil.
Give your Dogwood trees a medium amount of water on a regular basis. This is especially important for young trees in their first season. Water the trees well each year as you head into winter, too. Use the Finger Test to determine if your plant needs water. Stick your finger into the soil near your new tree. If the soil is moist, skip watering that day. If it is getting dry, it's time to water.
Customize your tree to the allotted space with an eye towards artful pruning. Site it carefully for the best angles, and plan to remove limbs as needed for a custom fit. Be a little patient with your young tree is pushing new foliage out for the growing season. Dogwoods are typically a bit slow to truly wake up. Decide which branches to keep before you pick up your loppers. Prune Cherokee Chief for shape when dormant so you can easily see the structure. Remove crossed branches and branches heading into the interior of the canopy. Make pruning cuts at 45-degree angles above an outward-facing bud. Keep your loppers clean and sharp.
- Full Sun & Afternoon Shade
- Moderate Moisture Needs
- Enriched, Well-Drained Acidic Soil
- Prune When Dormant
- Resistant & Adaptable Tree or Low-Branched Shrubby Form
Nature Hills Nursery won't be able to keep these trees in stock! After all, many people across much of the United States love them, too. Cherokee Chief Flowering Dogwood Tree is a wonderful choice, place your order today! You'll love the extreme color display of these easy-care small trees!
Frequently Asked Questions
How big does a Flowering Dogwood Tree get?
The Cherokee Chief Flowering Dogwood grows up to 15-20 feet tall and wide throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 9.
Do Dogwoods like sun or shade?
The Cherokee Chief Dogwood tree flowers best in full sun for the most color and the most flowers and fruit, but also appreciates afternoon shade in hotter climates.
Where is the best place to plant a Flowering Dogwood?
The Cherokee Chief Dogwood Tree does best in very well-drained acidic soil in a sunny to partly sunny location. They prefer consistent moisture and mulched, organic beds.
Are Dogwood Trees messy?
Not at all! Dogwood trees are deciduous trees that will drop leaves and fruit in the fall. But the leaves are easy to rake up and birds carry away the fruit!
What Shipping Options Do You Offer?
NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and won'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Dogwood Trees for sale here at NatureHills.com!