Flowering Dogwood — Wholesale
Flowering dogwood is one of our highest-value branches and the **last** major flowering branch on the calendar. We offer **green or pink** dogwood early in the season (one or the other — not always both), then by variety we cut fully open later in the season. Typical availability runs **April → May (into June/July some years)**, with the best quality at natural bloom in April–May. Hydration is critical — dogwood must be recut and hydrated immediately and often, and we recommend cool holding until needed.
Why flowering dogwood matters
Dogwood branches command premium prices because of their unique seasonal impact, elegant flowers, and ability to anchor high-value weddings and installations. They are the final, high-demand offering each season and require careful timing; we only begin selling when natural opening begins and then hold product in coolers to manage availability.
Specifications & packing
| Size | Approx. Height | Stems per bunch | Stems per bundle (10 bunches) | Typical cube* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tips | 24–36″ | 6–8 | 60–80 | 2 |
| Medium | 3–4 ft (36–48″) | 4–6 | 40–60 | 4 |
| Tall | 5–6 ft (60–72″) | 2–4 | 20–40 | 7 |
| Notes | Dogwood heads are delicate — packing and hydration are prioritized to preserve blooms. Final cube used for freight will be confirmed at order confirmation. | |||
*Cube is a planning reference only.
Availability & color notes
Key points about colors and timing:
- Early season (end of January → Feb): we may sell green or pink dogwood early, but availability is limited and we cannot guarantee both colors at the same time — sometimes only one color will be available.
- Natural bloom window: April → May (through June/July some years). This is when quality is highest and vase performance excels.
- Late-season harvesting: we cut some varieties fully open on the farm (variety-by-variety), then hold in coolers to supply later windows.
- Color availability: never all colors at once; plan with your sales rep and use weekly availability to confirm.
Staging, hydration & conditioning
Hydration is the single most important factor for flowering dogwood. Proper recutting, immediate hydration and cool holding will determine opening quality and vase life.
| Ship stage | Warm-room days to open | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Just showing color / plump bud | 5–10 days | Common stage for shipment; hydrate immediately. |
| Closer to open (rare) | 3–6 days | Use only for local/short transit; careful handling required. |
Receiving checklist (critical): Unpack upright → recut stems 1–2″ under clean water → immediately place in fresh water with commercial preservative → use wide buckets and support heads → change water daily and transfer gradually to warm-room finish when desired.
Packing & shipping (bags only)
To protect delicate dogwood blooms, we pack multiple bundles into large plastic shipping bags and wrap moist paper at the bag ends to preserve localized humidity and prevent desiccation. Bags ship directly (never boxed); they are palletized or consolidated for freight. For the delicate dogwood bloom, expedited transit and cool handling are strongly recommended.
- Humidity: moist paper at bag ends maintains humidity and reduces bud drying.
- Support: wide buckets and gentle handling required on receipt to prevent head damage.
- Carriers: FedEx daily, Air Cargo (Tues & Fri), Trucking (Fridays) — choose fastest option for near-open material.
Grooming & troubleshooting
A short, professional groom (1–3 minutes per affected bunch) is normal for dogwood: removing a damaged bud or trimming a broken stem can protect the rest of the bundle and avoid credits. Because dogwood is high value, a few minutes of careful receiving work preserves your margins.
- Brown/blackened buds: often caused by cold or physical damage — remove only affected parts and focus on hydration for remainder.
- Uneven opening: due to temperature variability — warm gently and check daily; avoid rapid swings.
- Cloudy water: bacterial growth — change water, sanitize buckets, recut stems.
Reservation Template (copy & paste)
Copy this template into an email to sales@oregoncoastalflowers.com to request a quote or reserve flowering dogwood.
