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CORNUS
Commonly known as Dogwood
Genus of about 60 species of mainly deciduous shrubs and small trees from grasslands, thickets, woodland, rocky slopes and swamps mainly in northern temperate areas.
Grown for their showy bracts, elegant habit, fruits and colourful autumn leaves.
The species have been used as food and medicine and in manufacture of small implements and cutting boards. The wood is beautiful, fine-grained and hard.
The "dogwood' name might have come from the "dags" (daggers, skewers and arrows) made from the slender stems. Fruits were known as "dogberries".
Two species are represented in the UK. C. mas is a widely found introduction, C sanguinea, a native, extending particularly on chalk as far north as the Midlands.
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DeciduousMid-green leaves 12cm (4¾in) long turn orange, red or purple in autumn
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Cream -
Height3m (10ft) if not pruned -
Spread4m (13ft) if not pruned
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Medium shrubTypically grow to around 4-6 feet in heightVigorous, spreading shrub. Produces white flowers in arching cymes to 6cm (2½in) across followed by spherical, metallic fruit
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Very hardyHardy in the severest continental climates including exposed upland locations in the UK. Plant can withstand temperatures < -20 (-4°F) -
Full sun -
Partial shade
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Additional Features
Good to knowPrune hard in early spring
Pests & DiseasesAnthracnose
Place of originEastern North America -
HardinessFully hardy
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Leaf margin
Entire(see photos above) -
Leaf shape
Elliptic
(see photos above)
Ovate(see photos above) -
Pruning group
Pruning group 4Suitable for: Deciduous trees and shrubs that flower on current year's growth or are grown for winter stem effect.
Pruning: Hard prune to a low permanent framework.
When: Annually in early Spring.
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Seasonal InterestAutumnWinter
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Soil ConditionsFertile moist well-drained soilHumus-rich.Neutral to acid soil
- Positioning
- Planting
- Maintenance - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Propagation
- Cornus capitata seed collection - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Diseases
- Cornus capitata - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Cornus kousa 'Satomi' - Video Tip ondemand_video
- Cornus kousa ‘Doubloon’ - Video Tip ondemand_video
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3m (10ft) if not pruned
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4m (13ft) if not pruned |
Buy Varieties of CORNUS
CORNUS canadensis
attractive ground cover with a profusion of white flower bracts
COLOURED STEMMED DOGWOODS
CORNUS alba
green leaved dogwood which is happiest in wet or boggy conditions, red bark in winter
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS alba 'Aurea'
leaves greenish-yellow turning golden yellow in autumn, red stems
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS alba 'Elegantissima'
margined and mottled white
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS alba 'Kesselringii'
brownish black stems
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS alba 'Siberian Pearls'
profuse white berries tinged with blue
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS alba 'Sibirica'
bright red stemmed dogwood
CORNUS alba 'Sibirica Variegata'
silvery white edged leaves
CORNUS alba 'Spaethii'
golden variegated foliage
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS sanguinea
greenish with red flushed stems and purple autumn colour
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire'
branches orange-yellow and red in winter, an attractive new cultivar
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS stolonifera 'Flaviramea'
yellow stemmed dogwood which makes an excellent bog plant
Gift-wrapping available
FLOWERING DOGWOODS
CORNUS alternifolia 'Argentea'
one of the very best silver variegated shrubs which is sadly slow growing and difficult to propagate
Gift-wrapping available
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS capitata
greenish-white flowers red strawberry fruit
Gift-wrapping available
CORNUS controversa
cream flowers, black fruits and rich purple-red autumn colour
Useful extras...
