• Shade-loving dogwood shrubs produce attractive flowers.Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  The many species of dogwoods are flowering trees and shrubs that grow in Southern and Midwestern states. The flowering dogwood tree, or Cornus florida, is the most common and popular plant in the species, according to Clemson University. Dogwoods produce white, pink or yellow flowers that can appear before the plant has leaves in late winter. Most dogwoods do best in partial or filtered shade and do not thrive in full sun.
  
  

Cornelian Cherry Dogwood

• This large dogwood shrub, or Cornus mas, grows as tall as 25 feet and sports yellow flowers in late winter before the year's foliage appears. Birds feast on its red fruit in midsummer, but these fruits can present problems when they stain sidewalks and driveways. The shrub resists common diseases such as powdery mildew and anthracnose. Cornelian cherry dogwood works well as a border accent plant or hedge. If you prune the lower multiple stems, this dogwood looks more like a tree than a shrub. Like other dogwoods, it thrives in well-drained soil and partial to filtered shade, although it can withstand full sun part of the day.
  
  

Pink Dogwood

• This medium-sized tree, or Cornus florida 'Rubra,' often is grown as a shrub because it rarely exceeds 25 feet high. Its pink flowers bloom in spring, and the plant forms red berries by fall. It does well in many parts of the United States but requires special care in extreme southern and northern locations. Pink dogwood benefits from dappled sun if it's planted in the shade of larger trees. Like other dogwoods, it needs moist, well-draining soil.
  
  

Silverblotch Dogwood

• The Cornus alba "Elegantissima" variety of dogwood shrub grows to 8 feet tall, although dwarf forms and larger varieties exist. When the plant is young, it has an oval or rounded shape, but as it grows older it takes on an arching or spreading growth habit. It offers color and interest to shady areas even when it's not in bloom because of its red stems and white-edged leaves. It will spread by itself if gardeners don't prune its prolific suckers. Also known as the variegated red twig dogwood and Tartarian dogwood, this shrub does best in soils that drain quickly; keep soil moist by frequent watering. This dogwood tolerates reflected sunlight and short periods of full sun.
  
  

Invasive Dogwoods

• Two of the five species of dogwoods that live in Wisconsin are classified as invasive, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The gray dogwood, or Cornus racemosa, is a shrub that reaches about 8 feet tall, with many stems. The red osier dogwood, or Cornus sericea, is a similar shrub that favors damp wooded areas such as floodplains. Its many flowers bloom from March through July and attract birds and animals, which assist in spreading this species. Both dogwood species grow best in low to intermediate sunlight.