Dogwood Tree Cultivars
Dogwoods are forest understory trees that grow best in partially shady sites with regular moisture and an annual application of organic matter such as leaf compost.
Dogwood tree cultivars. Dark green leaves 3 to 6 inches long turn an attractive red in fall. This is a very small plant growing only 3 to 9 inches although the leaves and flowers look similar to those on larger species of dogwood. Synonyms are benthamia kousa and cynoxylon kousa. Of the 17 species of dogwood native to north america the four most common garden types are native flowering dogwoods pacific dogwood cornelian cherry dogwood and kousa dogwoods.
That is to say they are not like common flowering trees. It is a plant native to east asia including korea china and japan. Cornus kousa is a small deciduous tree 8 12 m 26 39 ft tall in the family cornaceae. This type of wedding cake dogwood tree is also typically around ten to twenty feet smaller than the standard wedding cake dogwood.
During their first year their stems are often purple or green. The height ranges from 15 to 20 feet tall flowering dogwood in the sun to 40 feet tall flowering dogwood in the shade. The kousa dogwood is a handsome small to medium sized tree reaching a mature height of 30 feet. It is the state tree of north carolina.
The spread may be even greater than the height. Disease resistant cultivars are available and reduce the chances of problems such as powdery mildew and spot anthracnose. The height and spread varies depending on the species and its location in the landscape. The most popular example of this tree is the variegata cultivar which has green leaves with creamy white margins.
Dogwoods are highly popular deciduous trees due to their showing colors. Native to eastern north america the dogwood is also cultivated across the world wherever the climate may allow. The foliage of these trees is ovate and each leaf can measure between three and six inches long. Paired with their average height of 20 feet dogwoods are an impressive feature in any garden.
Flowering dogwood has a low branching habit with a flattish crown. Sometimes referred to as the chinese dogwood this asian cousin to our native flowering dogwood can be used as a specimen plant or in shrub borders. Depending on the age of the kousa dogwood the trees take on a different appearance. Famous for its gorgeous blossoms dogwood trees are a dazzling way to bring color to your outdoor garden.
Common names include kousa kousa dogwood chinese dogwood korean dogwood and japanese dogwood. Flowering dogwood is a small deciduous tree that blooms with white pink or red flowers in early spring. Bunchberry cornus canadensis is a dogwood anomaly.