Be aware that full shade will make a dogwood become leggy. They do not like rough handling and damage from lawnmowers. So if it went thru a lot of stress from last year's planting, and wasn't watered consistently then its growth won't be tremendous this year. I would just let it alone for now and see how it grows thru the year. It's still trying to establish a root system so maybe this is why you see so little growth. Also, keep the grass off the root system. It's been found that they grow more slowly when there is grass on the roots and it also is a good environment for disease and pests. Clear a circle of 1-2 feet around it. This shrub needs good root aeration---and is why you should always plant them slightly less deep than they were previously. You might want to get yourself a good book on dogwoods as they can be a fussy shrub to grow and can have quite a few cultural difficulties. AND---be sure to water it this year when rain is not sufficient. Many new trees and shrubs need water support during dry spells for the first TWO years. Good luck.

Prune out the right side trunk, and sooner rather than later. The trunk to the right in the picture will be weak and prone to breaking later in the tree's life. Also, it will make the main trunk canopy lopsided so when the weaker one breaks, the tree will not be nicely shaped. There also appears to be some dead limbs on the main trunk. These should be pruned, too. I'll add a link to a good site with information on pruning that shows you how and where to make the cuts. Pay particular attention to the illustration of the branch bark ridge and branch collar and how to make the three part pruning cut. And don't worry about timing for this kind of pruning. Most deciduous trees are pruned in the winter or for those that bloom in the spring, just after blooming. Pruning for the health of the tree, removing dead or diseased wood, and taking out broken branches are best done as soon as you are aware of the problem. Good luck with this. Kousas are beautiful trees and nearly pest free. I hope this one goes on to become a beautiful asset to your landscape. Here is a link that might be useful: VA Tech pruning publication

Thanks for all the assistance. I now know how to post pics to the site. I pruned the right "trunk" off as suggested and staked the tree for stability. It actualy doesn't look too bad. Although the other three are bigger and fuller I think with some feeding and time it will almost catch up and look fine. I have attached a photo of my new and improved Kousa. Thanks again

This is a very old post. I'm wondering if you're still living at this same location? I have two dogwoods. One is a Cornus Kousa like yours. I've done some research about pruning Kousa dogwoods and the advice I read said NOT to prune in the early spring or summer because the tree will be vulnerable to dogwood borer. Apparently they are attracted to the exposed inner wood of the tree and will lay eggs in it. It's the only real pest the Kousa has, so do wait. Some people get away with it and therefore think it's okay to prune whenever their tool is in their hand, but I don't like to tempt fate. The Kousa I have is a clump variety with three equal-sized trunks coming from the ground. Last year I noticed the leaves on one of the trunks looked pale. I was dismayed and worried when I examined the trunk these pale leaves grew from and saw that a lot of the bark had come off. This year to my surprise, all the leaves on that branch look fine. Of course the bark is still missing in lots of areas, but the leaves growing from this trunk look fine. I have no idea what happened. I'm just glad that it seems okay. To make a long story short, don't prune your dogwood till late winter, very early spring. It's not worth the risk. If you're still at the same address when you wrote back your dogwood, please write back and let us know how the Kousa you wrote about is doing.