Scientific Name:
Cornus nuttallii
Pronunciation:
KORE-nus NUT-ull-ee-eye
Common Name:
Pacific dogwood
Family Name:
Cornaceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves opposite, ovate to obovate, 7-13cm long x 7-9cm wide, 4 or 5 pairs of major veins, apex may have a 1mm sharp point, petiole about 1cm long; florets tiny, 30-40 in tight half-circle clusters about 2cm wide, surrounded by (4-)6(-8) white (rarely pink) overlapping bracts (compared to 4 in C. florida), most obovate, 4-6cm long x 2.5-4cm wide; drupes in globular clusters, 2-3cm wide, orange to red. Winter ID: twigs with fine grey pubescence; terminal inflorescence buds globular, 4-9mm wide, leaf buds stalked, valvate, conical, ~7mm long.
Habit:
Arching, Open, Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical, Round
Texture:
Medium - coarse
Mature Height:
15 - 22m
Mature Spread:
7 - 10m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
B.C. east of Cascades, B.C. west of Cascades, U.S. - northwest
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 7: (-18 to -12 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade, Deep shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Landscape Uses:
Native planting, Shade tree, Spring interest, Tall background, Woodland margin
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Heavily veined, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Pubescent
Colour in Summer:
Green, Leaves sometimes turn red in fall
Colour in Fall:
Yellow, Dark-red
Shapes:
Elliptic
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Attenuate, Cuneate
Margins:
Ciliate, Undulate (wavy)
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour
Inflorescence Type:
Spike, Floriferous, Head-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
4
Corolla Shape:
Cruciform
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
May
Additional Info:
many small flowers surronded by 4 - 6 (8) white bracts (rarely pink tinged); may flower again later in year
Fruit Type:
Drupe, Multiple fruit
Fruit Colour:
Orange, Red
Fruiting Time:
Sep
Additional Info:
Showy, Drupes can be separated from clusters (compared to kousa dogwood where they are fused)
Bark Morphology:
Plated, Smooth
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Dark Grey
Additional Info:
smooth young twigs have prominent lenticels; rectangular plates when mature
Leaf Bud Type:
Stalked, Valvate
Leaf Scar Shape:
Crescent shaped
Propagation:
Seed
Pest Susceptibility:
Anthracnose, Diptera - true flies, Fungal leaf spot, Mildew (Deer resistant)
Specific Pests:
Course(s):
- AARB 1012
- HORT 2355
Location(s):
- (NCA) Not Currently Available : was TFLN - died 2023