Cornelian Cherry Dogwood Is an Early Bloomer for Small Gardens
Plant cornelian cherry dogwood for its golden flowers that appear in early spring. This small tree or large shrub attracts birds, too.
Cornelian cherry dogwood (Cornus mas) provides bright golden flowers in very early spring, before the leaves appear on this small tree or large shrub. This eye-catching bloom makes it an interesting alternative to forsythia. Though its flowers are quite different than those of other dogwood trees (C. kousa and C. florida), they offer much appeal at the end of winter, and this species better resists problems like dogwood anthracnose and powdery mildew. The bright red fruits that follow its flowers make it a good choice for a bird garden.
Common name: Cornelian cherry dogwood
Botanical name: Cornus mas
Origin: Central Europe, southern Europe, Asia
Flowers/fruit: Clusters of small golden flowers appear in early spring. These are very showy given the time of year and their occurrence on bare branches, before the plant leafs out. Fruits ripen bright red in midsummer and attract birds.
Foliage: Deciduous, medium green, longer than they are broad, with a pointed tip. The leaves resemble those of kousa and flowering dogwoods (C. kousa and C. florida). The fall color is not remarkable.
Size and habit: With some training, this is a small tree reaching 15 to 25 feet tall with a crown spreading 12 to 20 feet wide. Left to grow naturally, it usually forms a large, multi-stemmed shrub standing over 10 feet tall and wide. With age, the bark becomes scaly.
Growing cornelian cherry dogwood
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
How to grow it: Plant cornelian cherry dogwood in full sun to part shade and average to rich soil with good drainage. It prefers even moisture; drought stress can make it susceptible to anthracnose, powdery mildew and borers. However, this species is notably less prone to these issues than flowering dogwood (C. florida), and it is considered a low-maintenance and generally healthy tree. It does produce suckers from its base, which should be removed if you don't want it to spread, or if you're encouraging a tree form. USDA Zones 4–8.
Image credits: Flower detail, public domain. Tree by Carol Collins. Fruit by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
