The pagoda dogwood is probably just a seed grown plant.

Can't really say on the JTL. The article names several of the common cultivars which it may be.

Hi. Thank you for your response. Here is another pic of the Japanese Lilac tree. This little tree is gorgeous! I really want to know what cultivar it is. I wish I knew more about these things.

http://coolkayaker1.blogspot.com/2009/06/japanese-lillac-tree-shows-me-patience.html

I would not suggest buying a plant based on pic's on the internet. Best to go look at them at the nursery. No one tree is alike, even two trees of the same cultivar.

With that said, both pictures look like straight species but its hard to say.

For the JTL, I'd get the Summer Snow vs. the Ivory Silk...unless you have a tight spot, then the Ivory Silk would be a better choice due to its more narrow, upright habit.

My Summer Snow looked absolutely stunning this year. I like that the flowers don't get a dark crusty brown like the Ivory Silk. The Summer Snow, fades to a light brown before fading. Up close, the seed pods are interesting.

I've seen terrible looking Pagoda Dogwoods and amazing ones. They are very, very fussy with their growing conditions. They need a consistently cool, moist soil. They are best situated in a protected east exposed site.

I don't know where you are in zone 6, but here on the border of zones 4 & 5 in central NH pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is an easy plant in our acid, very fine sandy loam, growing to 5-6' in 4 years and topping out at around 20'. I have several growing in full sun and a bunch growing in part sun, all of which do very well. The ones growing in full, dense shade struggle and have rather sparse blooms. I find it a plant of multiseason interest, and it's one of my favorite plants. In spring it has those lovely blooms for about 10 days and then the berries develop from green through shades of red to a deep, almost black purple on brilliant red stems. In August the tree is filled with birds eating the berries, and at this time of year it turns a variety of colors ranging from chartreuse to yellow and peach to reds and red-purple, depending on the tree and the particular year. In winter the branch silhouette against the snow is quite elegant.

As far as I know there aren't any selections with green leaves; those are all seed grown. I know of two selections with variegated leaves: Golden Shadows AKA 'W. Stackman' which has yellow and green leaves, and 'Argentea' AKA 'Variegata', which has white and green leaves. Both tend to grow much more slowly than the green ones. I have had three small Golden Shadows for 3 growing seasons and they have only about doubled their original size in that time.

If you visit the Garden Web forum for your area and do a search for both pagoda dogwood and Cornus alternifolia, you may find that others in your area have already shared opinions on how this plant does in your area.

Here is a link that might be useful: C. alternifolia at UConn plants database

Thank you both for your responses.

Whaas, I looked up those cultivars you suggested and really liked the Summer Snow lilac tree. I am going to order a few of them. In fact, a local nursery, well, it's about an hour away, they won an award for their summer snow Japanese lilac trees. They are a wholesale seller so I am going to call some nurseries nearby to see if I can order thru them. Thank you again for suggesting the summer snow.

Nhbabs, my husband took one look at the pagoda dogwood, at all the cultivars and he didnt like any of them. He's the nicest person I've ever known, so when he looked at them and looked at me I could tell immediately. He said to go ahead and order them that he wants me to be happy, but I didnt have the heart.

I cannot in good conscience order something for our yard that he doesn't like. Just like he wanted to have a Crimson King maple for that purple look and I told him I couldn't stand it, so we didn't go with ordering that tree either. (And after learning about the Crimson King on here I guess we made the right decision.)

I agree the pagoda dogwood would provide ooodles of multi season interest. But I am sure I'll find something else that'll knock my socks off.

Whaas, your point is well taken regarding going and looking at the nursery directly but 2 of the trees I ordered and planted were not available in my area at all. I am finding around here we don't have a lot of selection.

Thanks again to the both of you.