Cornus alba is a red-stemmed shrub in winter, fast growing and adaptable to wet sites. Tartarian Dogwood cultivars are known for stem color, leaf variegation, or dwarf size.
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F E A T U R E S |
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Form
-medium deciduous shrub
-maturing at 8' tall x 8' wide
-upright rounded growth habit in youth, becoming arching and spreading with age, and sometimes open and straggly
-rapid growth rate |
Foliage
-medium to dark green
-opposite, elliptical, and with an acute tip
-main leaf veins parallel to the leaf margins
-autumn color yellowish green to greenish-purple and not showy |
Flowers
-miniature cream flowers are arranged into flat-topped inflorescences, to 2" in diameter
-initially flowering in late May and early June, appearing after full foliage development, and sometimes sporadically flowering in Sept.-Oct.
-often sparsely flowering and therefore not especially showy |
Fruit
-creamy white, sometimes tinged with blue
-terminal clusters of fruits maturing from June through Aug., attracting birds and not persistent |
Twig
-dark red stems becoming white-streaked to reddish brown with age at the base of the plant
-young twigs are a vibrant red in winter
-leaf scars encircle the stems |
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Trunk
-not applicable |
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C U L T
U R E
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Culture
-full sun to partial shade
-adaptable to many conditions, including wet soils, but prefers moist, well-drained soils
-propagated primarily by rooted stem cuttings
-Dogwood Family, with several disease (crown and stem canker, leaf spot) and pest (borer) problems
-abundant availability, primarily in B&B or container form
-performs best when regularly thinned (or pruned to the ground every other year) to promote compactness, upright growth habit, canopy air circulation, and stout new winter red stems
-mulch if transplanted in autumn |
Hardiness
-zones 2 to 7
Origin
-native to Northeastern Asia
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U S A G E |
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Assets
-rapidly-growing shrub
-striking red winter stems
-wet site tolerant
Liabilities
-diseases and pests, leading to leaf spot, stem dieback, or occasional plant death |
Function
-seasonal interest in winter, mass plantings, borders, foundations, embankments, near bodies of water, non-thorny informal hedge
Texture
-medium texture in foliage and when bare
-open to average density in foliage and when bare |
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S E L
E C T I 0 N S |
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Varieties
and Cultivars
- Search
OSU PlantFacts for additional plants in this species
Alternates
-deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs with winter appeal (Chionanthus retusus, Cornus racemosa, Corylus avellana 'Contorta', Hamamelis x intermedia, Myrica pensylvanica, etc.)
-rapidly growing shrubs (Cotinus coggygria, Forsythia x intermedia, Salix pupurea, Weigela florida, etc.)
-wet site tolerant shrubs (Cornus racemosa, Hamamelis vernalis, Lindera benzoin, Salix purpurea, etc.) |