| Scientific Name: | Cornus controversa |
| Common Name: | giant dogwood |
| Family Name: | Cornaceae |
| Origin: | S.E. Asia / Japan / China |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Tree - deciduous |
| Mature Size: | 10 - 15m x 10 - 15m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Upright |
| Form: | Oval - vertical, Round |
| Texture: | Medium - coarse |
| Landscape Uses: | Attract birds, Attract butterflies, Fall interest, Shade tree, Street (boulevard tree) |
| Exposure: | Full sun, Part sun/part shade |
| Soil or Media: | Acidic, Humus rich, Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Simple, Alternate, Soft flexible, Heavily veined, Pinnate venation, Lustrous, Elliptic, Entire, Sinuate |
| Flowers: | Cyme, White, Yellow, Jun-Jul |
| Fruit: | Drupe, Blue, Black, Aug-Sep |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Tiered branching; leaves alternate (most other dogwood tree species have opposite leaves), most ovate-elliptical, 8-15cm long x 2-4cm wide; inflorescence to 18cm wide with 4 large bracts in early summer; drupes about 6mm wide, turn purple-black. Winter ID: branches horizontal, wide-spreading; terminal buds oblong 8-10mm long with about 6 pointed outer scales; lateral buds ovoid, 1-5mm longl leaf scars alternate and raised. | |