An older gentelmen down the road has a 4' Pagoda in full sun, but as you mentioned you has a bunch of smaller shrubs and perrenials surrounding the tree...seems to be doing pretty good. How is your Satomi? I have a Wolf Eyes and I am debating whether to add a Satomi or Pagoda to my landscape. The Satomi seems more ornamental but Pagoda seems to tolerate more sun and has a nicer habit. The tree would be partially protected from winds, but will still get a decent amount of sun...but in time (5 years or so) will started to get some shade from an Oak I planted.

I've been doing a lot of reading on the web and am coming to the conclusion Radiant Rose is probably the "best" pink dogwood as far as flower color, plant vigor/shape, resistence to disease, etc. Anyone else have any opinions on the subject?

Just want to congratulate the well-informed commenters on this thread. This is exactly the kind of discussion I look for, that makes me choose which forums to hang out on. So thank you all, kudos. I have similar problems with my Ivory Halo dogwoods. Part sun, sandy loam with excellent drainage, raised beds or sloping terrain, drip irrigation (they never dry out, but then they also don't get sprayed). Something about my environment does not suit these plants. Next late winter I'll coppice my one remaining shrub that always used to be the healthiest (got the most sun), spray the area including the ground with dormant oil or "rose spray" or the like (more research to be done on that, suggestions welcome) and hope for the best. Something I've noticed with the Ivory Halos is that pruning is best done exactly when it's most miserable: when there's still at least a little snow out there. One year I got all happy about finding something fun to do outside on a warm spring day, pruned the Halos, and they "bled" all over the place for 3-4 days, dehydrating themselves. Sigh. Fully agree with WisconsiTom that something's been lost in these overbred plants. I'd pick something else if I had it to do again, but it's pretty hard to resist putting an Ivory Halo in composition with something with purple leaves, or a dark-trim area of a house/deck. Coppicing: I have not done this to any shrub before. My concern is that the crown may force *too* many shoots, given that I'm considering doing it to a ten year old Ivory Halo. Have any of you ever noticed this, and do you thin? If so, when and to what spacing? Joan

Thats like selling a piece of furnitutre that broke and has been well mended . it should not be sold as ”new and perfect” but ”as is” at a discount. im appalled they wont refund you the entire amount or at a steep discount. im surprised it even got on the truck for delivery. I’d respond ”this is not acceptable. it is defective merchandise. if youve bought there before bring that up. see if they have a Better Business Bureau rating and bring that up. if they are a reputable company they should care.