Dogwood trees are popular ornamental plants, cherished for their distinctive beauty. Their appeal stems from showy flowers, attractive foliage, and colorful berries, providing visual interest throughout the seasons in gardens and landscapes.
Understanding Dogwood Diversity
Dogwood trees belong to the genus Cornus, encompassing a variety of woody plants. Understanding the number of dogwood types involves distinguishing between naturally occurring species and human-cultivated varieties known as cultivars. While only 30 to 60 true Cornus species exist, hundreds of cultivars are available. Cultivars are developed through selective breeding to enhance specific traits like flower color, leaf variegation, or disease resistance. This means the overall number of dogwood types available for landscaping is significantly larger due to these cultivated varieties and hybrids, offering options for various climates and aesthetic preferences.
Major Dogwood Species
Several dogwood species are widely recognized for their unique characteristics and ornamental value. The Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), native to eastern North America, is known for its showy white or pink floral bracts that appear in early spring before the leaves emerge. These bracts surround small, inconspicuous yellow-green true flowers. Its leaves turn attractive shades of red and purple in the fall, and it produces bright red fruits.
The Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa), native to East Asia, blooms later in the spring with star-like white or pinkish bracts. This species is also notable for its exfoliating bark, which provides winter interest, and its strawberry-like fruits that ripen in summer. The Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii), found in western North America, can grow quite tall and features large, creamy-white bracts.
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood (Cornus mas), from Europe and Western Asia, is typically a large shrub or small tree that blooms very early in late winter with clusters of small yellow flowers before its leaves appear. Its edible, olive-shaped red fruits mature in mid-summer. Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii), native to central and eastern North America, is recognized for its rough-textured leaves and white flower clusters followed by white berries. Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea), a shrub native to northern and western North America, is often chosen for its striking red stems that provide vibrant winter color after its creamy-white flowers and white berries.
Popular Cultivars and Hybrids
Many popular dogwood types are cultivars or hybrids developed for specific desirable traits, such as unique flower colors, variegated foliage, improved disease resistance, or more compact sizes. For instance, from the Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), popular cultivars include ‘Cherokee Princess’ with vigorous white bracts, ‘Cloud Nine’ known for its dense white blooms, and ‘Cherokee Chief’ which displays ruby-red bracts.
Hybrids combine desirable characteristics from different species. The Stellar series, a hybrid of Cornus florida and Cornus kousa developed at Rutgers University, aims for improved disease resistance. Cultivars within this series, such as ‘Stellar Pink’ (also known as ‘Rutgan’), showcase large pink bracts and strong resistance. Other Kousa Dogwood cultivars like ‘Miss Satomi’ feature deep pink bracts, while ‘China Girl’ is known for large flower heads on young plants. These cultivated varieties expand the range of dogwood options.