Corneliancherry Dogwood

Latin name: Cornus mas

Common name: Corneliancherry Dogwood (For once the botanic name is simpler than the common name!) 

Size: 20 to 25 feet high, 15 to 20 feet wide

Favored growing conditions: Well drained soil in sun or part shade. Prefers rich soil, but a very adaptable plant. The pictures show the plant in my part-shade, acidic and sandy soil garden. (I do mulch with leaf-mold, compost and pine bark.)

Flower color: Yellow tufts in early, early spring. In bloom before the forsythia, just when we need a taste of the spring to come.

Hardiness: Zones 4 - 8

Pros: Easy to grow small tree with dark green foliage. Bright red fruit in mid to late summer. Nice oval shape and very pest-free plant. Works well in smaller spaces. 

Cons: Not much fall color, and the fruit can be hidden by the foliage or quickly eaten by the birds. You may occasionally find a self-seeded or sucker-grown sapling near the parent plant. 

Comments: The flowers catch the sun in such an enchanting way, and the plant keeps a nice shape without pruning. Cornus mas can be considered a large shrub or small tree – cutting off the lower branches enhances a tree shape. There are several cultivars available including plants with variegated leaves, or yellow fruit.

Suggested companion plants: Attractive under-planted with Epimedium or purple-leaf Ajuga.