Scientific Name:
Cornus florida
Pronunciation:
KORE-nus FLORE-ih-duh
Common Name:
eastern flowering dogwood, pink flowering dogwood
Family Name:
Cornaceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Small tree with horizontal branching and plated bark; leaves opposite, ovate-obovate, most blades 7-12cm long x 2-6cm wide, 5-7 vein pairs; flowers before or as the leaves emerge, florets about 6mm long, in 1-1.5cm wide clusters of 15-30, and surrounded by 4 large petal-like bracts, bract apex rounded and usually with a cleft (compared to more pointed bract tips of C. kousa); drupes oval, most 8-14mm long, red, singular to clustered. Winter ID: bark texture resembles 'Alligator skin'; twigs glaucous, red/purple, fine grey pubescence; terminal flower buds look garlic bulb-shaped with four scale-like pointy immature bracts, leaf buds stalked, valvate, conical, about 7mm long.
Habit:
Spreading, Upright
Form:
Oval - horizontal
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
5 - 7m
Mature Spread:
5 - 7m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Canada - eastern, U.S. - northeast, U.S. - southwest
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Acidic, Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Fall interest, Mixed shrub border, Screening, Shade tree, Small garden/space, Specimen plant, Spring interest, Woodland margin
Additional Info:
Google. Most images are of C. florida f. rubra.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Pubescent
Colour in Fall:
Orange, Purple, Red
Shapes:
Ovate
Apices:
Acuminate, Caudate
Bases:
Attenuate, Cuneate
Margins:
Entire
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour, FIne hairs on underside and margin
Inflorescence Type:
Spike, Floriferous, Head-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
4
Corolla Shape:
Cruciform
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Green-yellow, Red (bracts white or red for f. rubra)
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May
Fruit Type:
Drupe, Edible
Fruit Colour:
Red
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Showy, Edible, Clusters of separate drupes which individually look similar to C. mas.
Bark Morphology:
Plated
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Brown, Black
Leaf Bud Type:
Stalked, Valvate
Leaf Scar Shape:
Crescent shaped
Organ Modifications:
Leaf-like bracts
Propagation:
Seed, Cuttings
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Anthracnose, Canker or sap rot, Diptera - true flies, Fungal leaf spot, Mildew, Nematodes, Root rot, Scale insects, Stem borer insects, Thrips (Deer resistant)
Specific Pests:
Course(s):
- HORT 1155
- Level 3 Apprenticeship
Location(s):
- (ONE) Overpass North side East : f. rubra
- (SQC) SeQuoiadendron Courtyard : f. rubra
- (TFL) Turf Field Lab