Flowery dogwood(Cornus florida) is an extremely decorative species at any time of the year. Both the beautifully colored leaves, shoots, fruits and flowers of this dogwood decorate the garden and blend in with other plants in an interesting way. See whichornamental dogwood varietiesshould be chosen for your garden, whatflower dogwood cultivation looks likeand how to prune this plant to make it beautiful and bloom profusely.
Flower dogwood - Cornus florida
Photo. pixabay.com
Flowery dogwood - description and application
The actual decoration of the flower dogwood is the colorful bracts of the inflorescenceappearing before the leaves develop. Egg-shaped dark green leaves turn scarlet or purple in autumn. The fruits are inedible for humans, while they are an excellent food for wild animals and birds. This spring flowering plant takes the form of a small tree or shrub. Due to the high cultivation requirements, flower dogwood is still quite rare in our gardens.
Meanwhileflower dogwood is an ideal plant for both larger and smaller gardensIt looks especially beautiful in spring during the flowering period and in autumn, when the leaves turn purple and red. It looks great among other trees and shrubs, but it can also grow individually, being the main decoration of the garden.Cornus florida will also work well in flower beds in the company of perennials: echinacea, sedum, phlox or rudbeckia, and in deciduous beds, where it looks beautiful in the vicinity of Japanese tavulas, physalis, red barberry or shrubby cinquefoil.
Flowery dogwood - varieties
Contrary to the name, the greatest ornamentflower dogwoodare not flowers, but extremely decorative leaflets similar to petals. Their color is influenced by weather conditions. Pink seedlings under the influence of hot and dry weather may turn pale, whilewhite flower dogwood varieties will take a pink shade in such conditions
Flowery dogwood 'Rubra'- it has pink bumps. It blooms in early May. In garden crops, this variety usually grows up to 6 meters in height. It is distinguished by shoots which turn green-brown with age. It works well when planted singly or in groups with other plants.
Flower dogwood 'Rubra'
Fig. depositphotos.com
Flowering dogwood 'Alba plena'- grows slowly, reaching 2 to 5 m in height. Its full flowers are lime-colored and the sockets are white.The leaves are elliptical, green, turning reddish-violet in autumn, which is an additional decoration. It looks beautiful in Japanese gardens and in modern compositions.
Flowery dogwood 'Welchii'- has inflorescences with beautiful white buds and extremely decorative green leaves that turn pink.
Flowery dogwood 'Springtime'- this variety is very well suited to our climatic conditions, due to its high resistance to low temperatures. The shrub is characterized by very large white seedlings.
Flowery dogwood 'Cherokee Chief'- a variety whose bracts turn pink. The red color dominates the leaves later in the season, thanks to which the shrub becomes an unusual decoration in the garden.
Flowery dogwood 'Junior Miss'- another variety in which the pink color dominates the bracts. The seedlings are resistant to diseases, especially leaf blotch.
Flowery dogwood 'Cherokee'- this is a variety with white pods. It grows slowly, reaching about 2 to 5 m in height and a similar width. It looks most effective when conducted in the form of a small tree. The leaves are elliptical, about 10 cm long, green, turning reddish-violet in autumn, which is an additional decoration.The scarlet-red fruit is also ornamental, which often remains on the bush in winter and is food for birds. It is irreplaceable in modern gardens as well as in gravel gardens.
Flowery dogwood 'Rainbow'- is a shrub with a loose habit, reaching 3 m in height and 2.5 m in width. Elliptical leaves, approx. 10 cm long, with a yellow edge, turning purple-red in autumn. Greenish flowers surrounded by 4 wide white bracts. Stone fruit, ovate, scarlet red. Requires a sunny, semi-shady, sheltered and warm position. Insufficiently frost resistant. In winter, the base of the bush should be especially protected. Recommended for home gardens, planted singly or in separate groups.
Flower dogwood 'Rainbow'
Fig. j - (Own), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Flower dogwood 'Cloud Nine'- is a shrub with a wide habit, growing up to 3-4 m in height.The characteristic white flowers appear in April and May. It grows well in fertile, humus soils, in the sun and partial shade, in sheltered places. Frost resistant.
Flower dogwood 'Cherokee Daybreak'- the variety grows up to approx. 3 m in height, grows quite quickly and takes on a slightly loose shape. The elliptical leaves are green in season with a cream border. In autumn, it turns beautifully into red, maroon and purple colors. Flowers gathered in greenish capitate inflorescences - they are not, however, decorative, but white bracts. Decorative dark red fruit. Blooms May-June.
Flower dogwood 'Purple Glory'- variety with red stipules and dark red or purple leaves. Dogwood resistant to anthracnose.
Flowery dogwood 'Magic Dogwood'- white sockets are elongated and joined together at the ends. Thanks to this, the flowers of this variety have an unusual shape, resembling delicate lanterns.
Flower dogwood - Cornus florida
Photo. pixabay.com
Flower dogwood - cultivation
Flower dogwood is a sensitive species , therefore it is difficult to withstand the unfavorable European climate. It performs well in sheltered locations with northern and eastern exposure, sunny and semi-shaded, but not in full sun. In deep shade and full sunlight, dogwood grows and blooms poorly. <<and>Cornus florida is a thermophilic species, and the large amount of light promotes its abundant floweringHowever, the excess of sun definitely does not help it. It should also not be planted near heat sources.
The optimal planting date for flowering dogwood is early autumn and springThis species has high soil requirements. The substrate should be fertile, humus-rich, alkaline or slightly acidic with a pH of 5.2 to 6.0. If it is not acidic enough, we can apply rhododendron soil to the planting hole.Flower dogwood does not tolerate heavy, clay and wet soils, as well as barren, weak and too saline soils.
Due to the poorly developed root systemdogwood tolerates drought badlyit will be a good idea to use conifer bark mulch or compost after planting the dogwood to reduce evaporation and slightly acidify the substrate. Weekly watering will be required during long periods without rainfall and immediately after planting. However, you must remember that dogwood does not like standing water and wet leaves.
Flower dogwood - Cornus florida
Photo. pixabay.com
During the growing seasonit is worth feeding the dogwood, preferably with organic fertilizers or mineral fertilizers with phosphorus . The latter ingredient supports its flowering.If we want our flower dogwood to endure the winter well, especially in cold regions of the country, it should be sheltered from frost. It is enough to protect the roots with a mound made of mulch or a polypropylene fleece.
Good to know!
The flower buds of dogwood are the most frequent victims of frosts, therefore, after a hard winter or stronger spring frosts, the flowering dogwood does not bloom at all.
Flowery dogwood - cut
Flowering dogwood can be successfully trimmed , it is best to do it in late autumn or winter during the rest period. It looks nice when run in the form of a small tree. To obtain such a look, we bring out young specimens to a trunk of about a meter, removing the lower shoots. We do not cut plants immediately after planting.
In the case of dogwood species with colorful bark, cutting is an important step , because young shoots are most intensely colored. Dogwood is blooming in last year's increments, so if we want flowers and fruit, let's just shorten some branches.
In winter or early spring, during the dormant period, it is necessary to makecare pruning of the dogwood . Remove all damaged, dried and frozen branches that are a breeding ground for pathogens and pests.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
