Read our. 3. This may be a tree to avoid planting near the sidewalk or porch. Of the 17 species of dogwood native to North America, the four most common garden types are native flowering dogwoods, Pacific dogwood, Cornelian cherry dogwood, and kousa dogwoods. This type of Dogwood tends to grow slightly taller than the flowering Dogwood approximately 82 feet. Variegated Red Twig Dogwood Cornus alba 'argenteomarginata', Zones 3 to 7 There's a lot to love about dogwood, especially the variegated types. University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension. The multi-stemmed tree has plenty of visual appeal in a garden landscape due to its four-season interest. Its flowers feature large bracts, a trait that other species of dogwoods may or may not have. Silky dogwood is a large to medium-sized native shrub with creamy white spring flowers , dark green foliage, and reddish stems and burgundy fall color. This feature is unlike edible kousa dogwood fruits that are round with leathery skin covered in bumps. In contrast, the flowering dogwood berries have a woody growth on one end. Stiff dogwood (also known as swamp dogwood) is a large shrub or small tree. In summer, the bright green foliage creates a canopy that can be used for shade, and red-orange berries arrive, which adds a vibrant contrast of color. Red dogwood berries are a type of aggregate fruit like blackberries or raspberries. In fact, the blooms show up in very early spring, even before the leaves have sprouted. Red twig dogwood shrubs grow 6 to 8 feet tall. Cornus alternifolia 'Argentea' is a variegated form with white and green leaves that is rare in cultivation. Young versions of this plant may also sport appealing red stems, but this usually fades to a dull green when the plant matures. Length: 5.5-7.5 in (14-19 cm) Weight: 0.8-1.3 oz (22-38 g) Wingspan: 9.8-11.8 in (25-30 cm) Range: United States, Canada, Mexico, Greenland and northern Eurasia. It can be rather messy as the fruit drops and starts to decay. The dark-green leaves are lance-shaped and turn purplish-red in the fall. Dogwoods are commonly used as both flowering shrubs and trees in a landscape. These features make the Cornelian cherry dogwood one of the most popular flowering dogwoods. Distinguishing between kousa dogwood berries and flowering dogwood and Cornelian cherry dogwood berries is relatively simple. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. Native to the Eastern U.S., this handsome tree thrives in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Ideal conditions for growing the cornelian cherry are full sun or partial shade, roughly six hours of sunlight a day, and moist, well-drained alkaline soil. In spring, star-shaped white flowers emerge at the tips of stems and branches, and these give way to round berries in the summer. With species that are native to Asia, Europe, and North America, as well as dozens of cultivars, you'll have no problem choosing a dogwood tree suited to your purpose. As time goes on, the shade keeps brightening until it becomes very red in winter, providing a perfect contrast to a snowy or bare landscape. Also known as northern swamp dogwood, gray dogwood (a member of the Swida subspecies) is a deciduous shrub that forms thickets as the underground rhizomes spread. Cherry can be used in jellies, jams, syrups, pies, and wines because they taste like tart cherries. Unfortunately, the berries found on some dogwood variants are not considered edible, and some are even regarded as poisonous. Uses in the landscape for Cornelian cherry dogwoods include a specimen tree, lawn tree, or shade tree. The majority of dogwoods are deciduous trees or shrubs. Dogwood Bush Care Must-Knows. During the spring, these trees bloom, and the berries they bear are bright and cheery. Sumac shrubs look and grow like gray dogwood, which is also known as northern swamp dogwood. By contrast, the Flowering dogwood produces berries that are devoured by birds, but they are known to be mildly poisonous to humans. The height of a dogwood tree will depend on the variety planted and how much sun it gets. As one of the most common types of trees with a range of cultivars, each having distinct characteristics, there are numerous dogwoods to choose from. There are many types of dogwoods, ranging from small shrubs to single-trunked ornamental trees. Leaves on Cornelian cherry dogwood trees are described as simple leaves with an elliptical or ovate shape and glossy appearance. The flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is the species most people think of when the word dogwood is mentioned.Although it is considered one of the favorite trees in the south, there are two other species, kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) and Cornelian cherry dogwood (Cornus mas), which will grow in all areas of South Carolina except along the coast from Charleston to Savannah, Ga. Bright yellow colors appear in late winter or early spring, followed by densely growing green foliage, then clusters of small red cherry-like drupes. If pollination occurs, the flowers develop into showy, red berries, each one about 1/2 inch . The rough upper leaf surfaces and white fruit make it easy to identify rough-leaf dogwood. Children often like to suck the honey from the flowers in the spring. Cornelian Cherry Dogwood (Cornus mas) Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa) Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) Creeping Dogwood (Cornus canadensis) Common (Cornus sanguinea) Siberian Dogwood (Cornus alba) Himalayan Flowering dogwood (Cornus capitata) Native to California and Oregon, the brown Dogwood is also known as western cornel or smooth Dogwood. Hard, white berries start to sprout in the summer, and the fall foliage is a purplish-red color. Dogwoods are frequently used as flowering specimen shrubs and trees in the landscape. Popescu, I., et al. Mountain lychees are eaten raw or processed, enjoying only the creamy, yellow-orange flesh, not the rough pink skin. We'll assume you're ok with this. In the hottest climates, some shade during the afternoon will keep the tree healthy. The plant should be about 12 inches below the grow light. Though it prefers a moist climate, the stiff Dogwood can adapt to drier conditions. This attractive smooth bark gives mature trees a camouflage look. The species of flowering dogwood tree can be found in woodlands and open spaces throughout the eastern United States. The whitish flowers are not very significant, but the white drupe/berries are attractive to birds. Red berries from two species of dogwood trees are edible. Grown as a shrub, it may be used for borders or screening. Canadian Bunchberry Also known as the dwarf cornel, the Canadian Bunchberry is a Dogwood shrub. While the Flowering dogwood grows throughout the eastern side of North America, the Pacific dogwood is found natively from British Columbia in western Canada down to California in the US. Also referred to as swamp dogwood, the stiff Dogwood is a large dogwood shrub or a small tree. Dogwood berries. There are approximately 17 dogwood varieties that are native to North America. Often referred to as northern swamp dogwood, the gray Dogwood is a deciduous shrub native to the eastern parts of North America, including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Canada. The first difference you will notice is that the leaves appear before the flowers, and the tree flowers a couple of weeks later than the flowering dogwood. Kousa Dogwood 9. It is native to North America, growing from southern Ontario in Canada, down through the eastern United States, into northern Mexico. The brown Dogwood will grow up to four feet in poor conditions and approximately ten feet in moist, shaded areas. It is rarely planted in landscapes, except in mountainous alpine gardens. The flowers will remain intact for several weeks, followed by glossy green foliage. The berries are bright red with an oval shape and grow in small clusters on the tree. Plant where dramatic red stems can easily be viewed from a window! Some dogwood species even feature colorful stems, providing winter appeal to your landscape. They can grow to reach about 20 feet tall with a 12-inch wide trunk. Besides being small to medium trees, dogwoods are also a group of shrubs recognized by their bright red bark. Due to their size, they are most often used in parks or organized landscaping designs. Pruning the tree every two years after the flowers' color fades will help keep it small. The landscaping appeal of the kousa dogwood is thanks to its dark green foliage turning red in the fall, a canopy of layered branches, and mottled tan and gray bark. When many people think of dogwoods, this is the plant they envision; it's the most popular and one of the most beautiful dogwood trees. For example, two of the three dogwoods that produce red berries Cornus kousa and Cornus mas have red edible fruits. Dogwood trees should be pruned with a sterile garden cutting tool once a year either in the late fall, winter, or very early spring (March) when a flowering dogwood tree is dormant. This is another Cornus species that may do well in your shadier spots, though there will be more flowers and fruit if it is planted in a location that receives full sunlight. Of the 17 species of dogwood native to North America, the four most common garden types are native flowering dogwoods, Pacific dogwood, Cornelian cherry dogwood, and kousa dogwoods. The flowers give way to bright red fruits, which will remain on the tree until fall unless they are eaten by hungry birds. Prune damaged roots from a purchased tree, then transplant it from its tub or burlap wrap by gently place the tree in a hole that's a foot wider than the root spread so the roots can spread out. Clemson University Cooperative Extension. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Some dogwood berries look like bright scarlet-red grape-like fruits growing in tight clusters. Flowering dogwood has a low-branching habit with a flattish crown. Do not eat the fruit of this plant, as it is considered mildly toxic. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! The flowers are also the state flower of North Carolina. The berries can remain on the tree for several months if they dont get demolished by hungry birds. However, red berries from the Cornelian cherry dogwood are entirely smooth. To grow this plant as a tree, remove suckers as they appear. It tolerates the cooler temperatures of zones 4 through 8. Cornelian cherry dogwood is another name for this berry, and it creates clusters of tiny yellow flowers. Here are some exciting dogwood facts before we get into the different kinds of dogwood trees, edibility, and proper tree care. The flesh has a soft, slippery, custard-like consistency. White is the most prevalent hue for dogwood blossoms, but this varies per species. Kousa dogwood trees grow 15 30 ft. (4 9 m) tall and wide. However, since the trunks of this type of Dogwood only reach about six inches in diameter and the branches grow horizontally, it tends to function more as a shrub. Mature Cornelian cherry dogwood trees have scaly, exfoliating bark. This dogwood species is regarded as a tree with a medium growth rate and grows about 16 ft. (5 m) in ten years. It is very adaptable in terms of the growing conditions it will tolerate and can grow in full sun right through to almost total shade. Though with this type, the white blooms are much larger, and the fall foliage is a red, orange, or yellow color. Flowering dogwoods have tremendous ornamental appeal in garden landscapes. Also, the crown is flat, reminiscent of a pagoda hence the name. In the spring, their petals overlap and might obscure the green foliage. It is known for its dark green foliage in the summer, red stems in the winter, and bluish-white berries. This is another type of Dogwood that does particularly well in shadier areas, though you can enjoy more blooms and berries if you decide to plant it in a location that receives full direct sunlight. Unlike many other types of dogwood, the flowers of this species emerge all along the lengths of the branches rather than just at the tips. The blooming time is typically in May a month after other dogwoods, which usually bloom in April. You can use the cherry-like fruit in preserves. The mature tree can grow up to 30 feet in height and width, with oval leaves that taper to a point about 4 inches long. Cuttings need early protection with a planting dome and grow lights before planting in the ground. Canadian Bunchberry/Dwarf Dogwood (Cornus Canadensis) The trees do best in full sun to part shade and while they do well in a variety of soils, they prefer fertile, well-draining soil with a pH of 5.5-7.5. Cornelian cherry dogwood is another name for this berry, and it creates clusters of tiny yellow flowers. Native to Greenland, northeastern Asia, and North America, this plant grows best in partial shade and can reach a height between four and six inches. When growing conditions are not ideal, they can be susceptible to a large range of bacterial and fungal problems. Most produce drupes, these are berry-like fruits with a . Canadian Bunchberry 3. Common Types of Dogwood Trees With Red Berries The three common types of dogwood trees producing red berries are the kousa dogwood, Cornelian cherry dogwood, and the flowering dogwood tree. The silky dogwood, C. amomum, bears gray-blue berries and the yellow-flowering cornelian cherry, C. mas, yields an edible harvest of orange-red berries, resembling tiny pear tomatoes. Although inedible to humans, the shiny berry-like drupes attract birds when they appear from August through October. In addition, some ornamental dogwood trees have variegated leaves that add to their decorative appeal. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) grows on the West Coast in a band between San Francisco and British Columbia. Look for types that are advertised as having a moderate growth rate rather than a high growth rate. You can start a dogwood tree using cuttings or plant a bare-root sapling purchased at a nursery. Here are some exciting dogwood facts before we get into the different kinds of dogwood trees scaly... 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