Arguably the crown jewel of the Cornus genus, the flowering dogwood (C. florida) gives loads of magnificence in normal species mode, no cultivars required.
However for much more decorative choices, why not try some cultivated C. florida varieties?
With over 100 cultivars of flowering dogwood accessible in numerous sizes, types, and colours, a gardener has fairly the selection to make.
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Add assorted development charges, bloom instances, and illness resistance to the combination, and that selection turns into even tougher.
That can assist you on this journey, you’ll want a information. Not essentially an previous, wizened, and sage information like Gandalf or Yoda, although. I’ll need to do, not less than to start out.
With this information to 13 of the perfect flowering dogwood cultivars, we’ll be separating the wheat from the chaff, the cream from the non-creamy crop, the extraordinary from the additional odd.
At the very least, it reveals what I contemplate to be the 13 greatest. Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, proper?
Right here’s the lineup:
Earlier than we start, it’s essential to know the form of tree you need, together with the place you plan on planting it.
And when you want a fast primer on flowering dogwoods and the right way to develop them, try our article.
Additionally, I’ll be utilizing the phrases bloom/flower and bract just about interchangeably.
Despite the fact that they’re modified leaves slightly than true flower petals, the leaf bracts of flowering dogwoods just about operate as flowers, not less than ornamentally.
Okay, time to speak timber! And shrubs, if we’re being technical.
1. Appalachian Spring
Since cultivars are both deliberately bred or by chance found, they usually have epic, superhero-esque origin tales. ‘Appalachian Spring’ is an ideal instance.
Within the Seventies, Discula destructiva – aka Discula or dogwood anthracnose – was found within the US after arriving from origins unknown.
Infecting and severely decreasing native Cornus populations, this lethal illness was effectively on its option to dooming American dogwoods.
However all was not misplaced. In 1990, a sure C. florida specimen was discovered rising wild at Camp David on Catoctin Mountain in Maryland by the College of Tennessee’s Mark Windham.
Wielding a reasonable to sturdy resistance to the D. destructiva fungus, this tree was used within the College’s dogwood breeding program to yield ‘Appalachian Spring’ – a fast-growing, white-bracted cultivar with larger-than-standard fruits, an upright behavior, a peak and unfold of 20 to 30 toes, and an exceptionally sturdy resistance to Discula anthracnose.
If you happen to’re in search of a heroically robust dogwood, ‘Appalachian Spring’ is the range for you.
2. Cherokee Chief
A typical flowering dogwood has white flower bracts, every with a pink notch at its apex.
‘Cherokee Chief’ gives a pleasant inversion of this, with ruby-red flower bracts which are notched with white. These bracts are additionally white the place their bases meet the true flowers, which attracts the attention.
Found and launched into the commerce by Issac J. Hawkersmith of Winchester, Tennessee, ‘Cherokee Chief’ has a peak and unfold of 15 to 30 toes, in addition to reddish development on new leaves.
‘Cherokee Chief’
It’s additionally price noting that this tree’s redness is absolutely, actually wealthy, making it a highly regarded red-bracted selection, if not the most well-liked. It actually is the chief.
To buy a ‘Cherokee Chief’ of your individual, head on over to Planting Tree.
3. Cherokee Dawn
A white-flowering selection from Industrial Nursery in Decherd, Tennessee, Cherokee Dawn™ (aka ‘Dawn’) options olive inexperienced leaves, every with yellowish-white variegation that each holds its colour and fails to scorch simply in sizzling situations, which is kind of spectacular for a variegated plant.
Moreover, this tree boasts unbelievable resistance to anthracnose – one other spectacular feat for foliage with variegation.
It has a vigorous development fee and an upright behavior that reaches mature heights and widths of 15 to twenty toes.
Come autumn, the leaf variegation turns into pinkish, whereas the greener elements of the foliage flip a powerful pink.
4. Cherokee Princess
One other white-flowering selection, ‘Cherokee Princess’ is just higher than the usual. Finish of story.
Reaching mature heights and spreads of 20 toes, this cultivar has resistance in opposition to spot anthracnose and canker – two situations that may actually mess up a dogwood.
Moreover, it begins its bud break in early spring, even sooner than an everyday flowering dogwood does.
Aesthetically, this tree boasts heavier flowering and larger-than-normal blooms that attain 5 inches in diameter.
This, together with the profuse blooming, makes for a superb, nearly blindingly white cover in springtime.
‘Cherokee Princess’
A constant chief in Cornus cultivar evaluations, ‘Cherokee Princess’ definitely deserves its royalty.
So as to add ‘Cherokee Princess’ to your assortment of Cornus crown jewels, you should buy one in a #3 container at Nature Hills Nursery.
5. Cherokee Sundown
The ultimate “Cherokee” cultivar on our listing goes by Cherokee Sundown™… how becoming.
One other introduction from Industrial Nursery, Cherokee Sundown™ is basically the red-bracted model of Cherokee Dawn™.
Reaching heights and spreads of 25 toes, this one additionally options resistance in opposition to anthracnose, in addition to a vigorous development fee.
The leaves of this selection exhibit pinkish-red new development earlier than maturing to inexperienced with yellow-variegated margins, which have an identical resistance to scorching. In fall, the leaves flip pink to pink to purple.
Don’t get me fallacious, Cherokee Sundown™ actually stands out by itself. However with a Cherokee Sundown™ to go together with your Cherokee Dawn™, you’ll have a one-two punch of vibrant variegation and exquisite blooms.
6. Cloud 9
With densely-growing white bracts, ‘Cloud 9’ – typically listed as ‘Cloud 9’ – will put a bloom lover on cloud 9, for sure.
Patented in 1961 by Chase Nursery in Chase, Alabama, ‘Cloud 9’ grows 15 to twenty toes tall and extensive.
The aforementioned leaf bracts develop so densely that they overlap with one another, and a sluggish development fee makes the plant simpler to look after in sub-par situations.
‘Cloud 9’
Talking of, ‘Cloud 9’ tolerates ice, snow, and the chilly particularly effectively for a C. florida tree.
For gardens simply on the sting of USDA Zone 5 and/or that face significantly robust winters, ‘Cloud 9’ is the cultivar for you.
Attempting to get on ‘Cloud 9’? Snag one for your self in a #3 container from Nature Hills Nursery.
7. Compacta
Not all cultivar names are these tremendous artistic, imagery-stuffed titles that sound lovely, but present no useful descriptors. A few of them will simply shoot straight with you. Take ‘Compacta,’ as an illustration.
Reaching an itty-bitty mature dimension of 4 toes in peak and width in eight to 10 years, the white-flowering ‘Compacta’ takes its candy time to achieve a compact dimension.
Its small body makes it good for becoming into tight spots the place different dogwoods might not match.
If you happen to’re the kind of plant guardian that thinks they develop up so quick – too quick – then elevating ‘Compacta’ is the proper match in your nurturing parenting type.
8. Plena
Technically, Plena, aka Alba Plena or “Pluribracteata,” is much less of a particular cultivar, and extra of a catch-all time period for all of the white flowering dogwoods with double to semi-double blooms. Sure, you learn that proper.
Reaching heights and spreads of 20 toes, Plena specimens exhibit as much as eight bracts per flower, making every bloom look kinda rose-like.
And if that wasn’t sufficient, additionally they exhibit resistance to identify anthracnose. Good factor, too – in any other case, there’d be double the bracts for the illness to muck up.
Sadly, Plena specimens are fruitless. Or I suppose it’s lucky, when you don’t desire a bunch of woodland critters flocking to the drupes.
Creatures as massive as deer and black bears might discover the fruits tasty, so I wouldn’t blame you if it is a characteristic you go for.
9. Purple Pygmy
Want a small flowering dogwood with pink bracts, slightly than white ones? Purple Pygmy®, aka ‘Rutnut’ is your shrub.
Reaching a small peak of 5 to seven toes with a skinny girth of two to 5 toes at maturity, this C. florida cultivar flaunts outstanding rose-red flower bracts, every with white notches at their apex.
Equally to ‘Compacta,’ Purple Pygmy® can take as much as a decade to achieve full dimension.
Purple Pygmy
Brief, skinny, and splendid: that’s Purple Pygmy® in a nutshell. It’s accessible at Nature Hills Nursery.
10. Spring Grove
Chosen as a seedling from a cemetery in Spring Grove, Cincinnati, ‘Spring Grove’ is exclusive in that its branches produce two to 3 terminal buds, slightly than only one.
Consequently, this cultivar yields a ton of blooms and fruits. The white flowers are additionally fairly massive, reaching ‘Cherokee Princess’ sizes of about 5 inches in diameter.
With a mature peak and unfold of 20 to 30 toes and exquisite, reddish-purple foliage in fall, ‘Spring Grove’ brings the aesthetics even when the fruits and flowers aren’t round.
11. Stellar
Again within the late twentieth century, when dogwood anthracnose and dogwood borers had been changing into vital issues, many sensible horticulturalists labored tirelessly to seek out options.
The outcome? Specimens like these from the Stellar sequence.
Developed by Elvin R. Orton, Jr. within the Seventies and launched by Rutgers College within the Nineteen Nineties, the Stellar sequence of hybrid flowering dogwoods – aka Cornus x rutgersensis – had been created by crossing the ornamentally superior C. florida with the disease-tolerant C. kousa.
This breeding yielded a handful of assorted sterile cultivars, all with a powerful resistance to dogwood anthracnose, dogwood borers, and powdery mildew.
Constellation®, aka ‘Rutcan,’ has white bracts, an upright type, and a vigorous development fee.
Constellation
It reaches a peak of 20 toes and a variety of 17 toes, and it’s accessible in beginning sizes of 4 to seven toes at Quick Rising Bushes.
Stellar Pink® (‘Rutgan’) is a vigorous, pink-bracted selection with a dense, upright rising behavior.
Stellar Pink
It grows to be about 23 toes tall and 18 toes extensive, and yow will discover it accessible at Nature Hills Nursery.
12. Welchii
With Skittles, you possibly can virtually style the rainbow. And with ‘Welchii,’ you possibly can virtually see it.
A white-bracted cultivar, ‘Welchii’ wields inexperienced leaves with white and pink variegation, and mentioned foliage turns rosy pink to reddish-purple in fall.
Add a yellow solar and a blue sky to the scene, and presto, you’ve obtained ROY G. BIV!
Chosen by Mark Welch within the Twenties and launched by Cole Nursery in Ohio round 1930, this tree grows 20 to 30 toes in each peak and width.
And whereas its variegation is top-notch, it sadly lacks the scorch resistance of the opposite variegated cultivars on our listing. Do not forget that ‘Welchii’ undoubtedly appreciates some shade.
13. Xanthocarpa
The ultimate entry on our listing, ‘Xanthocarpa’ carves out greatness in an space untouched by the opposite varieties: fruit colour.
Measuring 15 to twenty toes tall and extensive at maturity, ‘Xanthocarpa’ has yellow fruits, slightly than the everyday pink ones.
This yellowness additionally extends to the foliage, which is tinged with a reasonably yellow-green earlier than turning a stunning reddish-purple in fall. The flowers are white.
In Historic Greek mythology, golden apples had energy. And within the panorama, yellow Cornus fruits wield an identical may, not less than aesthetically.
It’s a Dogwood Smorgasbord!
Symbolically, anyway – you wouldn’t need to eat these vegetation. However hey, not less than they appear good!
These 13 forms of flowering dogwoods, whereas undeniably superior, are just the start.
Have enjoyable with these, and I want you luck in looking for varieties past what I’ve shared on this listing, if that’s what you’d love to do! It’s laborious to discover a unhealthy one, that’s for positive.
Nonetheless have questions? Did I omit any cultivars that deserved a spot within the high 13? Go to the feedback part beneath!
To uncover extra about dogwoods, feast your eyeballs on these unhealthy boys subsequent: