Flowering dogwood
~ Lori ~
particular variety that produces the best blooms or foliage.
Thanks,
Lori
MsJuniper
> I'm looking to purchase a white dogwood, and was wondering if there is a
> particular variety that produces the best blooms or foliage.
I wouldn't mind knowing myself. I've been considering some flowering
dogwood since our arbourist suggested it in April...
Do you have a preference for:
-winter branch colouration ( red / green ), or
-leaf colour? ( green / variagated ) ?
be...@bellatlantic.net
Take a look at _Manual Of Woody Landscape Plants_ by Michael Dirr.
Several dozen cultivars of 'flowering dogwood', Cornus florida, are
described.
--beeky
~ Lori ~
-winter branch colouration ( red / green ), or
-leaf colour? ( green / variagated ) ?
>>
Reds would be great......just something showy!
Lori
Sugarchile
into whether dogwood blight, aka dogwood decline is prevalent in your area.
Here in my area of PA, the dogwoods are sadly suffering from a form of
anthracnose that causes the leaf tips to brown and twigs to die off. It's
not quick to kill trees, but it's persistent, and it's worse in some years,
due to weather conditions, than others. The drought is adding insult to
injury for my trees, and it's no fun watching them slowly decline. I lost a
big chunk out of my older one this year. You can fuss around with
fungicides, which are tricky to apply properly, and you can try to keep the
tree healthy (tough in a drought), but there's no magic bullet for this
affliction. I've read that resistant varieties are being bred, but don't
have a lot of information on that.
As an alternative, consider Cornus kousa, a chinese dogwood. They flower
later, June for me, once the tree has already leafed out. The white flowers
are large and numerous, and they are followed by big berries that somewhat
resemble raspberries. They don't quite have the exquisite form and branch
structure of the natives, but they are very attractive and appear to be
trouble free.
Sue
Sugar...@earthlink.net
Zone 6, south-central PA
"~ Lori ~" <ljad...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:XEc19.345102$iB1.17...@bin4.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com...
~ Lori ~
Take a look at _Manual Of Woody Landscape Plants_ by Michael Dirr.
Several dozen cultivars of 'flowering dogwood', Cornus florida, are
described.
>>
Thanks, I will. But does anyone have anything quicker? Hahaha!!
Lori
Chelsea Christenson
> As an alternative, consider Cornus kousa, a chinese dogwood. They flower
> later, June for me, once the tree has already leafed out. The white flowers
> are large and numerous, and they are followed by big berries that somewhat
> resemble raspberries. They don't quite have the exquisite form and branch
> structure of the natives, but they are very attractive and appear to be
> trouble free.
I have a Kousa dogwood in Zone 5 (southern NH) -- very nice tree, lots of
four-point star flowers around 3" across, sort of a creamy white. Doesn't grow
very fast or very tall, just a nice ornamental tree.
flicker
>I'm looking to purchase a white dogwood, and was wondering if there is a
>particular variety that produces the best blooms or foliage.
It's best to go to a local nursery and buy a cultivar bred for your specific
area.
Personally, I don't think much of the kousa dogwood; it can't hold a candle to
the flower and form of Cornus florida. If you like birds they too will
appreciate the native dogwood's fruit much more than the kousa's. The risk of
anthracnose in the east is always there, but IMO still worth giving flowering
dogwood a shot.
Bianca
Zone 6/7, LI
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
--
"An old error is always more popular than a new truth."
- Old German proverb
Wendy B G
neighborhood. It is heartbreaking to watch these beauties die by inches :-( .
The native dogwood is an understory tree. If you plant a dogwood, provide it
with moist, high-organic soil, and preferably plant it where it will be shaded
from the afternoon sun by high deciduous trees. Catering to its needs will help
it to fight the disease.
Like the other posters, I think that Cornus kousa isn't as beautiful as Cornus
florida. However, it grows well in sun, and is resistant to anthracnose.
Wendy
Wilmington, DE (Zone 7)
antonious
you want a nice pink, try "Cherokee Chief"
"~ Lori ~" <ljad...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:XEc19.345102$iB1.17...@bin4.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com...
Iris Cohen
grows well in sun, and is resistant to anthracnose. >>
There is a strain called the Rutgers hybrids, which is a cross between C. kousa
& C. florida. It is a viable compromise, although expensive. I bought one last
year on sale. So far, so good. Not many flowers this year, but extremely long
lasting.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"The trouble with people is not that they don't know but that they know so much
that ain't so."
Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw), 1818-1885
Pam
flicker wrote:
> >From: "~ Lori ~"
>
> >I'm looking to purchase a white dogwood, and was wondering if there is a
> >particular variety that produces the best blooms or foliage.
>
> It's best to go to a local nursery and buy a cultivar bred for your specific
> area.
>
> Personally, I don't think much of the kousa dogwood; it can't hold a candle to
> the flower and form of Cornus florida. If you like birds they too will
> appreciate the native dogwood's fruit much more than the kousa's. The risk of
> anthracnose in the east is always there, but IMO still worth giving flowering
> dogwood a shot.
I think you must not have seen a well grown, mature Cornus kousa - they are
stunning trees, so laden with large blossoms that the foliage is nearly entirely
obscured. Compared to a sickly looking, anthracnose-laden C. florida or our
western native C. nuttallii (yes, dogwood anthracnose is very common on the west
coast, too) there is absolutely no comparison. The flower bracts are much larger
and extremely profuse, fall color is excellent and the trunk bark develops
attractive multicolored patches with age.There are many cultivars with both white
or pink flowers and various foliar variegation. Why anyone would knowingly choose
to plant a disease prone variety when resistant ones are available is a bit of a
mystery to me. Trees are an investment in both time and money - select one that
will reward you with health and long life.
pam - gardengal
paghat
(Wendy B G) wrote:
> Cornus florida, the American dogwood, is dying of anthracnose, all over my
> neighborhood. It is heartbreaking to watch these beauties die by inches :-( .
A forthcoming cloned cultivar has gotten a lot of press & is said to be
nearly immune to anthracnose as well as resistant to powdery mildew. It's
called C. f. "Appalachian Spring" & will probably become the one to get
wherever deadly fungus has been wiping dogwoods out of entire
neighborhoods. From photos of it, it looks quite nice, with five-inch
white flowers & large red berries.
Several hybrids with C. kousa have bred into C. florida the Asian
dogwood's resistance.
One list provided by Cornell University of resistant cultivars now being
distributed consists of:
'Stellar' Hybrid series
'Aurora'
'Celestial'
'Constellation'
'Ruth Ellen'
'Stardust'
'Stellar Pink'
<http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/dogwoodanthracnose/dogwood%20anthracnose.htm>
Unfortunately a mutated strain of the deadly fungus has begun to infect C.
kousa & if that spreads too, it will no longer be an easy option, & some
of the C. florida it pollinized & strengthened may cease to be resistant.
It has been increasingly necessary to identify specific C. kousas that are
resistant rather than assume all are. These are resistant C. kousa
cultivars:
'Big Apple'
'China Girl'
'Gay Head'
'Julian'
'Milky Way'
'Milky Way Select'
'Steeple'
<http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2003.htm>
Winter-blooming Cornus mas is generally resistant but it's not the dogwood
most people are imagining when they decide they want a dogwood. Yellow
flowers in winter, followed by red berries in summer. There are many other
Cornus species that are rarely afflicted & it may pay off to get something
rare. Alas the Northwest's own Cornus nuttallii isn't one of the
possibilities, being very susceptible.
> The native dogwood is an understory tree. If you plant a dogwood, provide it
> with moist, high-organic soil, and preferably plant it where it will be shaded
> from the afternoon sun by high deciduous trees. Catering to its needs will
> help it to fight the disease.
Actually, dogwoods planted in fuller sunlight are less prone to the
fungus, which itself wants the shade. But then alas there is the issue of
being stressed by too much sun. Cleaning up leaves & destroying them
helps, & watering with soakers, never overhead. Avoid fertilizers
especially those high in nitrogen because any sudden burst of growth
invites the disease; better to let the tree grow at its normal pace.
Typical growers are now reliant on fungicides to get healthy-looking
dogwoods to market, & until "Appalachian Spring" is available (& others
that will inevitably follow) it may not be a sensible choice for the
organic gardener who doesn't want to likewise rely on fungicides.
-paghat
>
> Like the other posters, I think that Cornus kousa isn't as beautiful as Cornus
> florida. However, it grows well in sun, and is resistant to anthracnose.
>
> Wendy
> Wilmington, DE (Zone 7)
--
"Flowers are commonly badly designed, inartistic in
color, & ill-smelling." -Ambrose Bierce
Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl:
http://www.angelfire.com/grrl/paghat/gardenhome.html#top
Frogleg
>>I'm looking to purchase a white dogwood, and was wondering if there is a
>>particular variety that produces the best blooms or foliage.
>
> It's best to go to a local nursery and buy a cultivar bred for your specific
>area.
>
>Personally, I don't think much of the kousa dogwood; it can't hold a candle to
>the flower and form of Cornus florida. If you like birds they too will
>appreciate the native dogwood's fruit much more than the kousa's. The risk of
>anthracnose in the east is always there, but IMO still worth giving flowering
>dogwood a shot.
Don't know my variety. I believe it's the same kind as grows wild in
the woods here (SE Virginia, zone 8). The most rewarding tree at every
season. Starts with white blooms (well, technically they're not
blossoms but bracts or something ) in the spring. Then bright green
leaves through the summer, and then, green berries that turn red while
leaves are still green. In a single 20-minute period in early fall, a
flock of birds (species unknown) sweeps in and picks off every single
berry, leaving about 17 on the ground. Then the leaves turn red, and
fall in a few weeks. The bare branches are a pleasant gray sculptural
shape during winter, and then the whole thing starts again.
Young trees are drought-sensitive, and these dogwoods prefer a little
shade from full sun. Grow very well near a big oak or between houses.
Perfect cat-climbing tree, and higher up, bird nesting. Can't think
how it could be improved, unless it also bore pineapples in January.
Sugarchile
almost the perfect tree. I will add that those horizontal sculptural
branches in winter will often hold a light snowfall for a lovely effect, and
an ice storm will leave them looking magical. And here, it's the
mockingbirds that make short work of the berries.
It would be hard to improve upon it for beauty. That's why it's so painful
to watch them slowly succumb to anthracnose. It sounds like you haven't
experienced it there yet, and I hope you never do.
Sue
Sugar...@earthlink.net
Zone 6, south-central PA
"Frogleg" <nob...@nevermind.com> wrote in message > Don't know my variety. I
flicker
>Why anyone would knowingly choose
>to plant a disease prone variety when resistant ones are available is a bit
>of a
>mystery to me.
I guess because in this case the disease prone variety happens to be one of our
classic native trees in this area. And, here on Long Island I really don't see
much evidence of this damaging fungus yet. The masses of graceful layers of
pink and white blossoms throughout the neighborhood in the spring are just
exquisite. The kousas just don't compare for me.
I do see your point; here on Long Island the wooly adelgid seems to show up on
every hemlock. I love canadian hemlock but will never buy another because of
this frustrating problem.
If I had to pick a tree other than flowering dogwood, my next choice wouldn't
be kousa but rather the Japanese snowbell tree (syringa, I think it's called).
When that tree is in bloom, the mix of green leaves and white blossoms is just
gorgeous.
Ann
>Personally, I don't think much of the kousa dogwood; it can't hold a candle to
>the flower and form of Cornus florida. If you like birds they too will
>appreciate the native dogwood's fruit much more than the kousa's. The risk of
>anthracnose in the east is always there, but IMO still worth giving flowering
>dogwood a shot.
I have a kousa that was a baby from my mother's plant, and it is
covered with blooms every summer. It's mature now, and the bark is
starting to exfoliate and get really colorful. It is a beautiful
tree. The kousas extend the dogwood season, I have Cornus florida,
too, and I love the way they attract the bluebirds in the fall when
the berries ripen. Both trees have their advantages when well grown.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************
Mark or Travis
"Pam" <grdn...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:3D46A978...@attbi.com...
> I think you must not have seen a well grown, mature Cornus kousa - they
are
> stunning trees, so laden with large blossoms that the foliage is nearly
entirely
> and extremely profuse, fall color is excellent and the trunk bark develops
> attractive multicolored patches with age.There are many cultivars with
both white
> or pink flowers and various foliar variegation.
> pam - gardengal
We have young pink and white Kousa's and a young C. controversa (Giant
Dogwood)
and we love all three of them.
We used to have two natives (C. nuttallii) but they succumbed to
anthracnose.
Nice to see you posting again Pam.
--
Travis in Shoreline Washington
USDA Zone 8b
Sunset Zone 5
dr-...@wi.rr.xx.com
here is what I got in 2 years http://puregold.aquaria.net/myoldhou/kousa1.html
I am so thrilled with this tree I just cant say enough good things.
The flowers start out greenish and small, then get larger and go white. this tree
has been in FULL BLOOM for 2 MONTHS. And it has been really hot here too. something
is eating little round holes out of the flowers, but the fruit will turn rose red,
look very decorative and they are delicious. I am really looking forward to eating
them this year.
NOw, there are also floridax kousa crosses that are resistant to anthracnose. I
think Greer Gardens have them. Pricey, and I dont know if they bloom as long as this
one does. I am thinking about one for the back yard and that one I will train into a
bush or weeping form. I specifically bought this knowing it would never get that big
nor dense shade and look lovely with rhodos and azaleas. I have seen full grown ones
with the wonderful sideways oriental look to them. And maybe you can see the
branches at the bottom go all the way down altho it can be trimmed up. I just love
how the flowers stand up on stems. Ingrid
Pam <grdn...@attbi.com> wrote:
>I think you must not have seen a well grown, mature Cornus kousa - they are
>stunning trees, so laden with large blossoms that the foliage is nearly entirely
>obscured. Compared to a sickly looking, anthracnose-laden C. florida or our
>western native C. nuttallii (yes, dogwood anthracnose is very common on the west
>coast, too) there is absolutely no comparison. The flower bracts are much larger
>and extremely profuse, fall color is excellent and the trunk bark develops
>attractive multicolored patches with age.There are many cultivars with both white
>or pink flowers and various foliar variegation. Why anyone would knowingly choose
>to plant a disease prone variety when resistant ones are available is a bit of a
>mystery to me. Trees are an investment in both time and money - select one that
>will reward you with health and long life.
>
>pam - gardengal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.net
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.
dr-...@wi.rr.xx.com
iris...@aol.com (Iris Cohen) wrote:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Iris Cohen
anthracnose. I
think Greer Gardens have them. Pricey, and I dont know if they bloom as long
as this
one does. >>
so far, but they were very long lasting.
Pam
Mark or Travis wrote:
Okay, I'm jealous now :-)) Wish I had room for a controversa, but I've got too
many trees in my tiny yard already and those puppies really need some space to
show off. Is yours a variegated one? I'm thinking about trying a C. alternifolia
- like a condensed version of the controversa. Just gotta figure out where to
put it............
BTW, neighbor, we really should meet one day. Swing by Swanson's when you're in
that area. I pretty much live there, it seems.
pam - gardengal
Mark or Travis
> Okay, I'm jealous now :-)) Wish I had room for a controversa, but I've got
too
> many trees in my tiny yard already and those puppies really need some
space to
> show off. Is yours a variegated one? I'm thinking about trying a C.
alternifolia
> - like a condensed version of the controversa. Just gotta figure out where
to
> put it............
>
> BTW, neighbor, we really should meet one day. Swing by Swanson's when
you're in
> that area. I pretty much live there, it seems.
>
> pam - gardengal
Our yard isn't all that big but it is a corner lot with our small house on
the end away from the corner. All the trees I have planted in the last 5
years or so are still small. I like to buy young plants so I can watch them
grow and they are much cheaper also. Who knows what the place will look
like in 20 years. We also have three bamboo's including one timber, two
Sequoia's and a monkey puzzle. I first saw C. controversa at the Washington
Park Arboretum and had to have one, looked everywhere and finally found them
at Heronswood. It is not variegated. Maybe I'm weird but I just don't care
for variegated anything.
We make it to Swanson's every now and again, usually on a Sunday, and I try
to read all the employees name tags trying to spot you but never asked for
you, afraid that someone might mistake me for some wierdo stalker dude.
Frogleg
<sugar...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>You're describing the native dogwood, Cornus florida. It is indeed the
>almost the perfect tree. I will add that those horizontal sculptural
>branches in winter will often hold a light snowfall for a lovely effect, and
>an ice storm will leave them looking magical. And here, it's the
>mockingbirds that make short work of the berries.
>
>It would be hard to improve upon it for beauty. That's why it's so painful
>to watch them slowly succumb to anthracnose. It sounds like you haven't
>experienced it there yet, and I hope you never do.
Two years ago my big tree got *something* -- I didn't look up
anthracnose because there wasn't much I could if it was. The leaves
looked sick and gray, and the next spring, "flowering" was very
sparse. However, I must have been living well because on its own, it
returned in full glory this spring.
I agree about snow and ice storms. Rather rare here, but magical in
effect. Used up a whole roll of film after the last ice storm and then
the fershlugiiner camera ate the film. I'm ready with
bottom-of-the-line digital (and spare batteries) now.
Then there's the music of the ice cracking and dropping off in the
next day's sun...
Diane
My dogwood's bark has just started to peel this year. I don't know how old
it is, it was there when I bought the house 12 years ago and it wasn't too
little then (but is *much* bigger now!)
Diane
--
diane .at. mathermotorsports dot com
Sugarchile
concurrent with browning leaf tips, and twig dieback. Not sure what your
peeling bark means; some trees just naturally have exfoliating bark as they
age.
Sue
Sugar...@earthlink.net
Zone 6, south-central PA
"Diane" <di...@yeahright.com> wrote in message
news:diane-03080...@192.168.1.101...
Diane
flowered great and is very full this year.
Diane
In article <N5W29.10816$cI.8...@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net>,
harrison
instead of a bush, so it now has a single trunk. Do I try to take out the
stuff inside? Eugenia, zone 6, 2 towns west of Boston
<dr-...@wi.rr.xx.com> wrote in message
news:3d57a5a4...@news-server.wi.rr.com...
Pam
Mark or Travis wrote:
Dunno, might be kinda exciting to have a weirdo stalker dude at that place :-))
Seriously, I am often asked for by name......seem to have built up some kind of
reputation as a plant geek. As weekends go, I am most often there on Saturdays
for seminar purposes, but have been working a lot of Sundays lately, too. Look
for me at the Info Booth - it is my home away from home. Would be nice to meet
you. Our big sale starts in the middle of September and if you are in need of
plants, don't miss it. Prices are excellent and we bring in tons of new stuff
just for the sale and for fall planting - lots of cool perennials and masses of
shrubs of all kinds. Still have many trees available as well.
pam - gardengal
Pam
harrison wrote:
> Any tips on how to prune a kousa? I did have to convince it to be a tree
> instead of a bush, so it now has a single trunk. Do I try to take out the
> stuff inside? Eugenia, zone 6, 2 towns west of Boston
Dogwoods really do not require much in the way of pruning and tend to produce a
lot of suckery shoots at pruning cuts. My recommendation is don't prune unless
absolutely necessary. Pruning a dw with anthracnose can actually accentuate the
disease problem. A kousa needs no help to become a tree - many will develop
branching very low on the trunk and some will actually look like they are
multitrunked, but in time they will defintely form a tree-like shape. They are
certainly not 'bushes' in any sense of that word. If you wish to remove lower
limbs to 'lift' the canopy, wait until the tree has established itself (3-5
years), then gradually remove lower branches over a series of years. You can
easily damage the natural habit of trees and impact their long term health if
you start overpruning them too early in their life.
pam - gardengal
Barbara
7 years. I wish I had your luck! barb
"flicker" <flick...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020730210043...@mb-ba.aol.com...