Flowering Dogwood
In light shade this small (around 20 foot), deciduous tree creates a beautiful understory. It is brilliant with blossoms in spring, lush through summer, ablaze with autumn color, and striking when its layered structure is revealed in winter. Not surprisingly, it is many people’s favorite flowering tree. Its growth rate is slow to moderate. Several cultivars and related species offer variety in size, form, color, and adaptation.
Before the leaves of flowering dogwood appear in spring, buds at the twig tips swell into showy 2 to 4-inch white flowers of four and sometimes six petals. (These “petals” are technically bracts, and the tiny “stamens” at the center of each “flower” are the true flowers.) Glossy scarlet berries in sparse clusters last into winter or until birds have stripped them.
Leaves are dark green ovals to 6 inches long and 3 inches wide; in autumn they turn red or burgundy-red.
Flowering dogwood prefers light shade; in its native habitat it has filtered shade from taller forest trees. Acid well-drained soil is necessary. Roots need moisture and protection from extreme heat. Mulch helps to provide both, and maintains soil acidity as it decays. Branches may be selectively thinned to emphasize structure.
Several varieties of Cornus ornus florida are available. Check with your nursery for local hardiness of the different varieties and species. ‘Cherokee Chief’ has rich rose-red flowers and a fairly upright habit. ‘Cherokee Princess’ has an abundance of white flowers. ‘Cloud 9′ produces white flowers early and very profusely. It accepts temperature extremes better than the species. C. f pendula is a weeping form. C f plena has double white flowers. ‘Rainbow’ has white flowers, and yellow-and-green leaves that color brilliantly in late summer and early fall. C f welchii has variegated grayish green leaves with irregular pink-and-white margins.
Related Species
All species grow in light shade, unless another exposure is specified.
C. alba sibirica (Siberian Dogwood) is a 6 or 7-foot shrub with clusters of tiny white flowers
and, in cold-winter areas, startling coral-red branches.
C. canadensis (Bunchberry) is a deciduous ground cover 5 to 9 inches high, appropriate for shaded woodland settings. It produces small heads of yellow flowers surrounded by showy white bracts. In late summer and autumn it bears bright red edible berries.
C. kousa (Kousa Dogwood) is sometimes multistemmed, has 2 to 3-inch white flowers with pointed petals, and bears edible fruit. C. k. chinensis has larger flowers.
C mas (Cornelian Cherry) is a slow-growing shrub or small tree bearing small yellow flowers on bare branches in late winter and early spring. Fruit is edible. It will extend branches and flowers from a partially shaded spot into a deeply shaded one.
C stolonifera (C. sericea) (Red-Osier Dogwood) is an extremely hardy shrub that can form a thicket. It accepts constant moisture. Flowers are white, in small clusters. Berries are white or bluish. C. s. ‘Flaviramea’ has red twigs.
C. sessilis (Black-Fruit Dogwood), a large shrub or small tree native to the West Coast, has jade-green foliage, tiny whitish flowers, and shiny black fruit. It will accept lots of wetness and grows well in medium shade.
