Dogwoods
Botanical name: Cornus
Dogwoods
Botanical name: Cornus
Description
Flowering dogwoods appear in many 19th-century paintings because of their spreading leaves and attractive flowers (which can appear in shades of red, pink, and white). In spite of these trees' North American origin, one Christian legend states that Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross made of dogwoods, and that they are relatively small trees because God no longer allows them to grow tall enough to be used for crosses.
Species of Dogwoods
Cornus chinensis
Flowering cornus chinensis appear in many 19th-century paintings because of their spreading leaves and attractive flowers (which can appear in shades of red, pink, and white). In spite of these trees' North American origin, one Christian legend states that Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross made of cornus chinensis, and that they are relatively small trees because God no longer allows them to grow tall enough to be used for crosses.
Red barked dogwood 'Spaethii'
Red barked dogwood 'Spaethii', a cultivar of the Tartarian dogwood, is a medium-sized deciduous shrub with stems that turn bright red in winter. The leaves are dark green with bold yellow margins. Gardeners favor this cultivar as an ornamental plant. It is also resistant to browsing and attracts butterflies.
Red barked dogwood 'Elegantissima'
Red barked dogwood 'Elegantissima', a cultivar of the Tatarian dogwood also known as Argenteo-marginata, is a vigorous upright shrub with bright red stems and attractive gray-green variegated leaves. In autumn this cultivar's leaves turn reddish-orange. The cultivar is named for its elegant appearance. Red barked dogwood 'Elegantissima's are often used by gardeners and landscapers as a hedge or screen - their red stems are particularly noticeable during the winter, when their foliage has dropped.
Bentham's cornel
Bentham's cornel (Cornus capitata) is an evergreen dogwood tree from the Himalayan region. It has also been naturalized in New Zealand and eastern Australia. The flowers bloom from early to mid-summer, and fleshy red fruit appears by fall. The fruit is edible, but can taste bitter.
Pacific dogwood 'Eddie's White Wonder'
Pacific dogwood 'Eddie's White Wonder' is a short Pacific dogwood that is a cross between Cornus nuttallii and Cornus florida. Compared to its parent plants, this dogwood is rather short, reaching only 8 m in height as opposed to 10 to 20 m. This hybrid is resistant to dogwood anthracnose, which is a common foliage disease that affects both parents. This dogwood is truly a white wonder, but it is not known who Eddie is.
Round-Leaved Dogwood
In some areas, the round-Leaved Dogwood is an endangered species. This large shrub prefers to grow in partial shade and along woody edges. It bears pretty white flowers in the spring and berry like fruits in the fall which are attractive to birds.
Hong kong dogwood
Hong kong dogwood (Cornus hongkongensis) is an evergreen tree that will grow to 15 m tall. It is native to China and has dark green leaves with yellow edges. Leaves change color to reddish purple in fall. Blooms in spring and grows in full sun with moist, well-drained soil.
Flowering dogwood 'Cherokee Chief'
Flowering dogwood 'Cherokee Chief' is a popular ornamental tree in gardens due to its beautiful pink flowers that appear in spring. In addition to its aesthetic value, the tree also has economic importance for lumber and tool handles. However, it should be noted that all parts of the tree are toxic to humans and animals if ingested.
Chinese dogwood
The chinese dogwood is an evergreen flowering tree made up of leathery and glossy leaves that give it an attractive appearance. Its green to red berry-like fruits are edible to birds. It can be planted as an understory tree and can also be used for landscaping lawns and parks.
Giant dogwood
Because of its elegantly multilayered branches and creamy white blossoms, the Wedding Cake Tree resembles a cake. It is native to Southeast Asia and has won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Bees and butterflies feed on the nectar from the beautiful flowers of this plant.
Common dogwood
The common dogwood tree contains some of the toughest wood of any tree. As a result, it is said that the cross used to crucify Jesus Christ was built from this. The pollen in the blossoms of this plant attracts butterflies, and the berries attract birds. It is typically planted as an aesthetic plant and is utilized for borders, hedges, or screens.
Red barked dogwood 'Aurea'
Red barked dogwood 'Aurea' has red stems, tiny cream-white flowers, gold-green leaves, and white berries that grow in clusters. It is a cultivar of the Red barked dogwood and named for its golden leaves (the Latin word "Aurea" means gold). Gardeners favor this cultivar for its flowers that are rich in pollen and attract birds and bees.
Cornelian cherry
Cornelian cherry (*Cornus mas*) is a flowering deciduous shrub native to Central Europe, Southern Europe, and Western Asia. While this species' ripe fruit is edible, the unripe fruit has a harsh, astringent taste and should not be consumed. Unlike most other types of wood, the wood from this species is dense enough to sink in water.
Gray dogwood
The gray dogwood is an excellent addition to a wildflower or natural garden. Although this shrub is not particularly beautiful, it creates plenty of shelter and food for wildlife. It thrives in almost any type of soil, sunlight or watering conditions. Its dense nature and easy care makes it a great hedge bush.
Stiff dogwood
Stiff dogwood (Cornus foemina) is a flowering shrub that prefers exceedingly moist soil but is known to adapt to drier habitats. Stiff dogwood flowers are not very pleasant smelling. It thrives best in six or more hours of full sun each day. It grows up to 4.5 m high.
Roughleaf dogwood
Roughleaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii) is a deciduous shrub that’s native to eastern North America. The genus name comes from the Latin word “Cornu,” which means horn. This is because the wood is so dense and strong. The specific epithet “drummondii” is an homage to Thomas Drummond, a Scottish botanist. He spent considerable time in America collecting plant specimens.
Kousa dogwood
The kousa dogwood is known for its ornamental appeal. The showy flowers and bark, as well as the lovely fall foliage, make this vase-shaped tree a great addition to your patio, yard, or lawn. The tree matures to about 9 m high and is often just as wide.
Silky dogwood
Silky dogwood (*Cornus amomum*) is a deciduous shrub native to eastern North America. Underneath the leaves and twigs, you’ll find silky hairs—hence the name. Native Americans referred to it as 'kinnikinnick,' which means 'smoking mixture,' because they smoked it like tobacco. White flowers bloom forth in the spring. They are followed by blue fruit that birds love to snack on.
Wilson's dogwood
Wilson's dogwood is a semi-evergreen Chinese native plant with an appealing ghost-white exterior on its old trees’ trunks. Its Latin name Cornus wilsoniana comes from Latin cornus, meaning horn and referring to the wood's hardness, and wilsoniana, honoring Ernest Wilson, a British plant collector. This shrub is a perfect pick for a landscape because of its lovely seasonal flowers and fruits.
Red osier dogwood
Red osier dogwood is a thicket-forming shrub with attractive dark red winter stems. This plant produces yellow flowers in early summer and fruit late in the fall. Over ninety-eight species of birds rely on this plant for food or shelter. Native Americans used red osier dogwood branches to weave baskets.
Dogwoods 'Flaviramea'
Flowering dogwoods 'Flaviramea' appear in many 19th-century paintings because of their spreading leaves and attractive flowers (which can appear in shades of red, pink, and white). In spite of these trees' North American origin, one Christian legend states that Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross made of dogwoods 'Flaviramea', and that they are relatively small trees because God no longer allows them to grow tall enough to be used for crosses.
Red barked dogwood 'Kesselringii'
Red barked dogwood 'Kesselringii', a cultivar of the Tatarian dogwood, is known for its dark green foliage and stunning, shiny deep-red stems that turn purple-black in winter. Gardeners favor this cultivar for its attractive dark bark and its autumn leaves, which are usually a shade of bronze.
Kousa dogwood 'Miss Satomi'
This dogwood cultivar is known for its four seasons of interest, sporting an array of flowers, leaves, and fruit that are quite ornamental. Developed by Japanese hybridized Akiri Shibamichi, he named the kousa dogwood 'Miss Satomi' after his granddaughter, Satomi. The kousa dogwood 'Miss Satomi' may attract both pollinators for its flowers and birds for its small, strawberry-like fruits.
Red osier dogwood 'Flaviramea'
Red osier dogwood 'Flaviramea' is distinct for its bright yellow stems in winter. A cultivar of Cornus sericea, its name comes from Latin and refers to its golden branches. This shrub is good for hedges and other borders, and its showy flowers attract birds and butterflies.
Red barked dogwood 'Sibirica'
Red barked dogwood 'Sibirica' is a vigorous-growing, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub known for its brilliant red stems in winter. It is a cultivar of Tartarian dogwood. Red barked dogwood 'Sibirica' is planted decoratively, as it offers tiny, yellowish-white flowers in late spring that give way to bluish-white stone fruits. It also makes a great hedge or screen.
Red osier dogwood 'Cardinal'
Red osier dogwood 'Cardinal' is a hardy Red osier dogwood cultivar with a shrub-forming growth habit and remarkably ornamental orange-red branches that turn bright red during the winter. This multi-branching tall bush offers multi-seasonal interest, but it is mostly prized for its winter color display.
Large-leafed dogwood
Flowering large-leafed dogwood appear in many 19th-century paintings because of their spreading leaves and attractive flowers (which can appear in shades of red, pink, and white). In spite of these trees' North American origin, one Christian legend states that Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross made of large-leafed dogwood, and that they are relatively small trees because God no longer allows them to grow tall enough to be used for crosses.
Cornelian cherry 'Variegata'
Like many hybrids given the name 'variegata', this member of the Cornelian Cherry family is named for its two-colored green and creme leaves. In contrast, cornelian cherry 'Variegata''s parent plant has single-colored green leaves. This distinctive leaf color together with yellow flowers and bright red fruit make this cultivar a popular hedgerow and ornamental garden tree.
Lapland cornel
Lapland cornel (*Cornus suecica*) is a perennial fruiting bush found in the subarctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. In summer, it produces small black flowers; these are surrounded by pale white stem leaves that are often mistaken for the actual petals. The berries are much loved by birds.
Korean dogwood
Korean dogwood is a popular ornamental tree for its profusion of white flowers and peculiar red globular fruit. This tree has further garden appeal because it is unaffected by dogwood anthracnose disease, which kills other dogwood species. The common name Korean dogwood and the Latin name chinensis both refer to this tree's East Asian heritage.
Common dogwood 'Midwinter Fire'
The common dogwood 'Midwinter Fire' (Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire') is related to common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) but has firey yellow and red-tipped stems in the winter months and grows much smaller than its parent. Because of their colors and compact size, they are a popular choice for landscaping; their fruits also attract birds, but cannot be used for human consumption.
Western cordilleran bunchberry
Western cordilleran bunchberry (Cornus unalaschkensis) is a flowering plant species native to the western coast of North America. the Cornus unalaschkensis can be distinguished from the very similar Cornus canadensis because the Cornus unalaschkensis has petals with some purple on them, while the petals of Cornus canadensis are white or greenish-white.
Giant dogwood 'Variegata'
Giant dogwood 'Variegata' is distinct for its leaves: green in the center and creamy white on the edges. A cultivar of Cornus controversa, its name refers to its multicolor foliage. This makes a great lawn tree, its spring bloom produces small but showy flowers, and its summer fruits attract birds.
Common dogwood 'Anny's Winter Orange'
Common dogwood 'Anny's Winter Orange' is named for the fall and winter color of its leaves, which shade to a brilliant orange. This is a dwarf hybrid that grows to just 2 m compared to the 6 m height of its parent plant. This shrub is relatively innocuous for much of the year, but its winter brightness makes it worthy of consideration for year-round ornamental gardens.
Red osier dogwood 'Sunshine'
Red osier dogwood 'Sunshine''s golden-speckled stems and bunches of bright white flowers give this variant its unique appearance. Cultivated as a dogwood hybrid, it was suitably named after its flecks of "sunshine" found throughout the plant. Red osier dogwood 'Sunshine' is popular for its distinct colors, prolific growth, and ease of care.
Cornus walteri
Cornus walteri, also called Walter's dogwood, is a deciduous shrub or small tree 8–16 m tall, native to eastern Asia in Korea and much of China from Liaoning to Yunnan. Cornus walteri has opposite, simple leaves, 5–12 cm long. The flowers are produced in inflorescences 6–8 cm diameter, each flower individually small and whitish. The flowering is in spring, after it leafs out. The fruit is a round, reddish-purple "drupaceous berry", 2.5-3.5 cm diameter. It is closely related to the European common dogwood (C. sanguinea).
Japanese cornel
Japanese cornel (Cornus officinalis) is a deciduous shrub that grows from 4.5 to 8 m tall. It blooms showy yellow flowers in spring followed by edible red fruit in fall that has an astringent flavor. Its colorful foliage transforms from green to yellow to reddish-purple before falling off. Its exfoliating bark also changes from gray to brown.
Bunchberry dogwood
Bunchberry dogwood (Cornus canadensis) is a herbaceous, flowering perennial plant that grows along the ground and spreads by underground rhizomes. Bunchberry dogwood flowers bloom in the spring, followed by clusters of red berries that ripen in summer. This plant attracts birds, deer and other wildlife. It is commonly planted in gardens.
Siberian dogwood
Siberian dogwood (Cornus alba) is a perennial flowering shrub best known for its red bark that makes a beautiful display when the tree loses its leaves in winter. It produces small but showy white flowers from spring to summer. Berries appear late summer and ripen in fall. Plant in full sun for best color in moist but well-drained soil.
Pagoda dogwood
Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is a flowering species of dogwood plant native to eastern North America from Canada to the southern United States in Florida. It attracts bees, insects, bears, and deer.
Pacific dogwood
Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) was used by Native Americans used to extract brown dye and for basket weaving. The wood of this tree is solid and strong, making it the perfect material for making bows, arrows, piano keys, and mallet heads. It grows up to and 20 m tall.
Flowering dogwood
Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a small North American tree renowned for its wide canopy and plentiful spring blooms. Individual white or pink “flower” is actually a flower head that contains four oval bracts and a cluster of tiny yellow true flowers. Because of its decorative canopy, prolific spring blooming, and attractive red autumn leaves and berries, it is the most popular native tree in US gardens.
Brown dogwood
Flowering brown dogwood appear in many 19th-century paintings because of their spreading leaves and attractive flowers (which can appear in shades of red, pink, and white). In spite of these trees' North American origin, one Christian legend states that Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross made of brown dogwood, and that they are relatively small trees because God no longer allows them to grow tall enough to be used for crosses.
Kousa dogwood 'Satomi'
Flowering kousa dogwood 'Satomi' appear in many 19th-century paintings because of their spreading leaves and attractive flowers (which can appear in shades of red, pink, and white). In spite of these trees' North American origin, one Christian legend states that Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross made of kousa dogwood 'Satomi', and that they are relatively small trees because God no longer allows them to grow tall enough to be used for crosses.
Cornus florida var. urbiniana
Flowering cornus florida var. urbiniana appear in many 19th-century paintings because of their spreading leaves and attractive flowers (which can appear in shades of red, pink, and white). In spite of these trees' North American origin, one Christian legend states that Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross made of cornus florida var. urbiniana, and that they are relatively small trees because God no longer allows them to grow tall enough to be used for crosses.
Scientific Classification
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