Cornusspp.
reckon for beautiful , fascinating plant that amaze , astound , and astonish ? sound like you ’re in pauperism of a dogwood tree or two .
It ’s rare for plants to have attractive farewell , bark , flowers , fruits , andforms . For most plants , usually at least one of those qualities is considered aestheticallymeh , if notbleh .
Not dogwoods , though – those have a valuation of five star pretty much across the board .
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And even though they ’re metaphorically and literally overshadowed by larger trees , understory species like dogwoods have their meritoriousness . For a gardener depend to pelt their landscape painting with pretty ornamentals thatdon’tdwarf their home , Cornusspecies have a lot to offer .
So strap yourself in , heartfelt reader . We ’ll be discussing how to cultivate these lovely plant life and how to best use them in your landscape painting . We ’ll also cover a fistful of our favorite species .
Here ’s what we ’ll be getting into :
What You’ll Learn
What Are Dogwoods?
Containing 57 currently agnise coinage of tree diagram , shrubs , subshrub , and even perennial ground covers , theCornusgenus is part of the Cornaceae family along with its sister genusAlangium .
Collectively hardy in USDA Zones 2 to 10 , specie ofCornusare pass around across the Northern Hemisphere in Asia , Europe , and North America .
In the United States , you may somewhat much come up a species of cornel in any region of the country , deliver for the hot and driest of climates .
Taxonomists have identified four clades within the genus : blue- or white - fruited types , vainglorious - bract types , gnome eccentric , and cornelian cherries , though these descriptions are seldom used by nurseryman or horticulturalists .
The nameCornuscomes from the Latin wordcornu , mean “ hard ” – a character to the super dense and fine - grained wood of dogwood species .
Speaking of commonCornuscharacteristics , let ’s go over what dogwoods more often than not seem like .
Most coinage have simple , ovate , deciduous , and oppositely arranged leave with parallel , arching folio veins . A rich viridity or motley during the growing time of year , these leaves tend to sprain a deep burgundy red in declivity .
Anytime from former winter to early summertime , Cornusspecies bloom with flower that have structure infours : four lobes , four petals , and four stamens .
The flowers themselves are n’t all that showy , but they are encased in the middle of four to six petal - likeleaf bractsthat may be red , green , gold , yellow , pink , and/or white , depending on the species or cultivar .
When they ’re in full bloom , dogwoods attract many pollinating insects , from bees to butterfly stroke to moths . After pollination , the flowers give way to crimson , bluish - fatal , or white drupes , which attract hungry raspberry and mammals .
Along with spread out via seed dispersal , dogwood species can expand via undercover rootstalk or even by rooting the tip of low ramification .
Dogwoods come in many unlike sizes , calculate on the mintage .
Some , like the ground coverC. canadensis , top out at just four column inch magniloquent and open reasonably much indefinitely .
Others , like the red - stemmedC. sericeaor its yellow - stemmed cultivars , are your moderately - sized , unimaginative bush . Other tree diagram - like species can touch tallness of 45 feet and spreads of 40 feet in cultivation !
Cultivation and History
dogwood have a rich story of cultivation , and the line of the distinctly unique and interesting name ca n’t be order with a slam - stuff shot surety .
The name “ cornel ” is thought to arrive from a colonial verbal description of flower cornel fruits being edible , yet the taste not being fit for a dog . The hard , tough forest was also used for retrace skewer – i.e. “ dogs ” – so that could be the explanation , too . Take your weft !
The woods has been used across many cultures for constructing weapons , pecker handles , loom shuttle , golf club heads , jeweler ’s boxes , butcher pulley , and many other items that call for to be able to hold up strong hit and gamey forces without taking damage .
Not allCornusfruits are recommended for human consumption , but among those that are , some are quite tasty !
The cornelian cherry red ( C. mas ) in special has discover some celebrity as the tasty of the dogwood fruit , and is used in toothsome sweet dainty to this day .
It was also used back in Ancient Greece and Rome to dye fezzes , treat dysentery , and relieve GI stress – and has even been mentioned in the lit of Homer and Ovid !
Many other species have had a variety of applications throughout history .
Extracts from the leaf of the Pagoda dogwood ( C. alternifolia ) have been used in traditional Chinese medicine as an anodyne , a diuretic , and a tonic .
Native Americans used part of the blossom dogwood to treat gripes and fevers , and even to make red dyestuff . During the American Civil War , the tree ’s leaf come in ready to hand for making tea leaf and as a substitute for quinine in chemical compound tincture .
And of course , dogwood are beloved in the world of ornamental landscaping … that ’s probably why you ’re here , after all .
Dogwood Propagation
Many cornel species can be grow from seed or propagated from cuttings .
you could also purchase glasshouse starts and sapling to graft into the garden . Let ’s go over these techniques , in order of descending difficulty .
But just as a reminder , there are a orotund number of unlike cornel out there , so the follow pourboire are retain intentionally general .
From Seed
First things first : you ’ll require seeds . Those can be grease one’s palms from a reputable trafficker , acquire from a friend , or even gathered yourself .
To gather seeds , you ’ll first ask to harvest the fruits they maturate in , when they ’re ripe . To ensure ripeness , only collect the fruits once they ’ve dropped to the ground .
When you ’ve collect the fruit , you ’ll need to mash them up to extract the seed . you may do this by helping hand , with a mortar and pestle , or you may even expend a blender .
get rid of the semen from the mashed fruits , gear up them on a strainer , and wash off the pulp with water . you’re able to also put the seeds in water , which will break up the pulp naturally . This will also split feasible seminal fluid from non - viable unity , as the beneficial seeds will sink and the duds will drift .
you could either seed yourCornusseeds out of doors immediately in declivity , or cold - stratify them before sowing in spring . To stratify , partially sate a charge plate baggie with a 50:50 mix of peat moss and perlite , stick the come in , dampen the media , and entrust the baggie in the fridge until spring .
derive bound , place the ejaculate half an inch deep in a seed tray filled with a exchangeable peat / perlite intermixture , moisten the media , and lay the container next to a gay indoor windowpane . Provide even moisture , but do n’t allow the soil to become waterlogged .
When the seeds germinate and grow into seedlings , lose weight them out and/or repot them as needed to give them enough room to develop , all the while keep the soil moist .
After they reach a suitable size – about three to four inches in height – they ’ll be big enough to move outdoors .
When the final icing date passes , you ’ll need to temper off the seedlings before transplanting . To do this , take the containers alfresco for 30 to 60 proceedings before bringing them back inside .
Each subsequent day , add an additional half to full hour of out-of-door time until they can spend a full day outdoors . From here , you could transplant !
From Cuttings
Anytime during the summertime calendar month , take four- to six - column inch cuttings of softwood to semi - hardwood shoot tissue , depending on the mintage you are propagate .
Take these cuttings from the distal – or last – ends of shoots , and make your cut with a sharp and uninventive blade .
Defoliate the bottom one-half of each carving , and dip the gash end in a mo of IBA rout internal secretion to facilitate with radical formation .
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Prepare a three- to four - inch container fill with a 50:50 premix of peat and perlite for each carving , then stick enjoin cut in , two to three inches deep . wash the media and localize the containers next to a gay window indoors .
Keep the medium moist as the cuttings take beginning . When the thinning have rooted and grown a dyad of new leaves , they will be ready to harden off like you would with seedlings before transplantation .
Via Transplanting
Before you transplant , insure that your planting situation has the proper vulnerability for your chosen specie . Additionally , make certain that you ’re transplanting into rich , loamy , and well - draining soil with a pH of 5.0 to 8.0 .
Whether you ’re transplanting a seedling , a rooted cutting , or a glasshouse outset , ensure that your planting site furnish enough room for the transplant to pass on its fledged height and circularise without bump into buildings , walkways , or other plants .
The best transplanting times are saltation , after the last frost , and strike , a span of weeks before your middling first frost date .
Seedlings and root cuttings simply need a transplant kettle of fish that ’s large enough to accomodate their stem systems .
For container works from the nursery , you ’ll need to make the hole a bit wider than the container they come in , so you have room to lick .
Gently remove the plant from its container , and set it in the hole . Backfill with soil , and pee in well .
au naturel root specimens should be soaked in water for several hour before transplanting . Once it ’s time , dig a hole , make a hummock of stain at the bottom , and disperse the roots out over it .
Alternate backfilling with watering until the hole is fill in , give it one last lacrimation , and you ’re done !
Adding a bit of constitutional affair like compost to the ground you backfill with can provide your soil with some extra fertility to get your transplant off to a good start .
For your infant transplants , really stay on top of lacrimation until they become prove in a year or two .
How to Grow Dogwoods
All the dissimilar dogwood species have a lot in common in term of their grow needs . For catch - allCornuscultivation , lease ’s go over what act upon .
Climate and Exposure Needs
If you ’re anywhere in USDA Hardiness zona 2 to 10 , there ’s a cornel specie for you – but not allCornusspecies are suitable for all Zones .
In general , cornel thrive in full Lord’s Day to fond shade , depending on the metal money , and some can abide full shade .
It ’s all about happen that perfect balance between just enough sunshine to induce unfolding , withoutscorching the leaves .
Soil Needs
Rich , well - draining loam with a pH of 5.0 to 8.0 should serve your specimens well as they grow and mature . You canconduct a grease testto see if the soil in your garden needs any specific amendment .
You may have to make some specie - specific adjustment , but since dogwoods can generally care most soil as long as they are n’t off-white - dry or inert , do n’t perspire this too much .
Regular amendment of organic thing help keep soil rich , so influence one to two inch of compost or well - rotted manure into your plant ’ base zones every spring .
Water and Fertilizer Needs
ManyCornusspecies prefer a soil that ’s save moist , at least most of the sentence .
So be sure to irrigate whenever the top few inches dry out , in the absence of rain , anddefinitelywhenever you ca n’t arrive at moist soil with asoil knife .
Usually , subsidiary plant food is n’t necessary if you keep on top of your humous amendment every outflow . But if your stain is especially poor , you could apply a balanced 10 - 10 - 10 ( NPK ) fertilizer in spring .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
Some species put out all-day sucker at their base , which should be pruned ASAP to keep up appearances . You should also remove beat , pathologic , or die offset whenever you happen to notice them .
As for dedicated sessions of pruning that shape your plant ’s shape and increase airflow , those should be done in bounce , just before bud recess .
calculate on the type of dogwood , you may not shape the flora at all , but rather prefer for the “ au naturel ” aspect .
diminish folio should be rake up after they drop , unless you ’ve got a woodland garden become . And alwaysmaintain a two- to four - inch layer of mulchover the root zone – that ’ll suppress weed growth , preserve moisture , protect the root , and just look real purty .
In wintertime , you’re able to terminate your watering while the ground is frozen .
Dogwood Species to Select
With 57Cornusspecies to consider , you ’re vitiate for choice ! Are you look for a tree , a shrub , or maybe some ground concealment ?
You really ca n’t go wrong with aCornus , and if you want to register more about the different case of dogwood , check out our guide to 23 of the in effect varieties .
permit ’s go over some top - grade species :
Cornelian Cherry
Hardy in zone 4 to 8,C. masoriginates from west Asia , along with the central and southerly region of Europe .
turn over elevation of 15 to 25 feet and spreads of 12 to 18 feet , this tree diagram bursts with yellow flowers in March , which later give way to red or yellowish European olive tree - mold stone fruit .
Along with being exceedingly appetising to shuttlecock and small mammals , thesecornelsare what make the cornelian cherry famous , as they are quite delicious to humans .
For a cornelian cherry Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree of your own , moderate out FastGrowingTrees.com .
watch more about growing cornelian cherries .
Creeping
The only ground cover on our tilt , C. canadensisdoesn’t allow its “ vertically challenge ” status detract from its esthetics .
A native of east Asia , Greenland , and northern North America , the creep dogwood is hardy in USDA zone 2 to 6 – the colder , the better .
attain a summit of three to nine inches , this plant has the potential to spread indefinitely via its crawl rhizomes , albeit very tardily .
flower in late spring to early summertime , the bunch of truthful flowers are green and circumspect , but they ’re surrounded by four lily-white blossom bract , which are quite showy . Later , the blossom give agency to minuscule , cherry-red - reddish berries , which will delight the birds .
Flowering
aboriginal to southeastern Canada and easterly parts of Mexico and the United States , C. floridareaches heights of 15 to 35 substructure and feast of 15 to 40 feet .
Hardy in zone 5 to 9 , this tree diagram arguably sport the honest flush of the crowd .
Emerging in mid - spring , the true blossom have a backdrop of four lovely clean foliage bract , each with a maroon mountain pass at the tip . After pollination , the flowers are finally replaced with clusters of glossy red drupes .
There aremany flower dogwood cultivarsavailable with flower in a assortment of color .
Flowering Dogwood
you’re able to find flowering dogwood with white flowers in # 1 , # 2 , and # 3 containersavailable from Nature Hills Nursery .
see more about growing flower dogwood .
Kousa
A muckle of dogwood manage with pests and disease on the regular . NotC. kousa , though – this due east Asiatic native is resistant to many commonCornusconcerns .
Hardy in zone 5 to 8 , the kousa dogwood attain heights and ranch of 15 to 30 feet , and flaunt lovely white to pinkish flowers in previous springtime that , if pollinated , finally soften fruits that bet a lot like raspberries .
you’re able to regain kousa dogwoods in a variety of sizes , from two- to seven - feet , available at FastGrowingTrees.com .
Learn more about caring for kousa dogwoods .
Pacific
Hardy in geographical zone 7 to 9,C. nuttalliiis basically the bloom dogwood of the westerly United States and southerly British Columbia .
strain superlative of 15 to 40 substructure and paste of 10 to 25 groundwork , this tree has spring - blooming flowers with six white-hot leaf bract and fruits that look like a hybrid between those ofC. floridaandC. kousa .
If you ’re jonesing for a flowering dogwood yet live in the western US , thenC. nuttalliiis the one for you .
Pagoda
Native to eastern North America and hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 7,C. alternifoliais notable thanks to its – you guessed it – alternately arrange foliage .
Growing 15 to 25 feet tall and 20 to 32 feet broad , pagoda dogwoods bloom in late spring with small , yellow , bractless flowers that eventually grant small gentle - pitch-black cluster of drupes that grow on red prow .
you may findC. alternifoliaavailable at Nature Hills Nursery .
Learn more about pagoda dogwood upkeep .
Red Twig
What makes red twig dogwoods limited ? It ’s right on there in the name !
A North American native that ’s hardy in USDA Zones 2 to 7,C. sericea , aka red osier cornel , has shining reddish stems – an amazing hue for a leafless , snowy landscape !
In late spring , this bush produce white , flat - transcend flush , which later give way to clusters of globose white Berry .
Red Twig Dogwood
Growing six to nine foot tall and seven to 10 feet wide , this violent twig cornel is a compact smasher .
you could find plantsavailable at Nature Hills Nursery .
Learn more about grow red twig dogwoods .
Tatarian
aboriginal to northerly China , North Korea , and Siberia , C. albais a squad player – a heap or phone line of them seem good than one on its own .
Hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 7 , the tatarian cornel is jolly passably - sized , with a mature height and spread of eight to 10 foot .
In tardy spring , these shrub bloom with bunch of small , yellowish - white-hot unfeigned flowers , which eventually yield beautiful clump of spherical white drupes .
Additionally , the theme of this works wrench blood red for the winter , a lovely variety from the red - streaked green of the growing season stems .
‘ Elegantissima ’ is a charming variegated cultivar , lark about light light-green and cream foliation that turns reddened in declension , before drop to bring out the bright red stem turn .
‘ Elegantissima ’
you could regain ‘ Elegantissima’available at Nature Hills Nursery .
get a line more about wish for tatarian dogwoods here .
Managing Pests and Disease
pestis and diseases can do all sort of issue , from strictly aesthetic job to drain illness , and as a whole , dogwoods are pretty susceptible to a lot of them .
look at this the Achilles list that makes these otherwise perfect plant life frail .
In general , there are a bunch of tips and deception for keeping trouble at bay . Two of the smartest thing you may do are cultivating your cornel properly and sanitize your tools between pruning different specimen .
Thankfully , these trees are cervid - resistant . But there aremany other pest that can bust up a cornel .
You ’ve draw your all - too - commonaphids , ordered series , andmealybugs , as well as the dogwood - specific borers , club gall midges , and sawflies .
Mammal - judicious , you may deal with hungry chipmunks , racoon , and even black - bears – if they are common in your region !
You ’ll have great deal of potential job on the disease front , too . Powdery mould , Discula anthracnose , and root rots are but a few of the disease you may have to parcel out with .
Learn more about place and treating dogwood disease .
Best Uses for Dogwoods
Individually , specie of dogwood tree are more suitable for sure landscape painting situations than others . But when unified as theCornusgenus , there ’s not much they ca n’t do .
If you need a plant for establishing a border , placing along a home foundation , grouping in a bunch , sum up to a native garden , pull in wildlife , uprise under a canopy as an understory planting , or displaying as a specimen … do n’t concern . There ’s a cornel for the job .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Doggone It, the Guide Is Already Over?!?
’ Fraid so , amigo . That ’s the room the cookie crumbles . Other hokey expression .
But yes , hopefully you ’ve gained a ton of dogwood know - how from this templet . From here , you ’ll be able to decorate your landscape with a lovelyCornusor two . How ’s that for amazing ?
And if you require to find out trees and shrubs for your landscape painting , study these templet next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right hand RESERVED.See our TOSfor more contingent . Product photos via Arbico Organics , FastGrowingTrees.com , and Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited exposure : Shutterstock .
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Joe Butler
