Cornus, commonly known as the dogwoods is a wide-ranging genus which includes flowering trees, colourful shrubs and ground cover plants. The flowering dogwoods are stunning in April and May. In autumn, the shrubby dogwoods come into their own with striking bright stems as the foliage falls.
There are a number of fantastic varieties of Cornus with stems in tones of red, orange and yellow to bring a shot of colour to the autumn and winter garden. For the best colour stems, prune back hard each year in early spring to about a foot from the ground. This will encourage new shoots which will grow to around three feet over the course of the spring and summer and give the best autumn colour. If left unpruned, these types of Cornus will reach seven to eight feet high, but the older wood will not have the same intense shades come winter.
Cornus Varieties
There are a great number of varieties of Cornus available. These are a selection of our favourites, from our Hampshire Nurseries.
Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’
Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’, also aptly-named as the ‘Wedding Cake Tree’, is a small, deciduous tree that creates a spectacular focal point in the garden thanks to its amazing tiered branches covered with a mass of tiny white flowers, which resemble the layers of a traditional wedding cake.
| Sun Requirements | Partially shaded or sunny |
| Soil | Moist, well draining |
| Hardiness | hardy in most places throughout the UK |
| Size | Up to 8m in both height and spread when full matured |
| Flowering time | All through spring and summer |
Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’
A hardy, deciduous shrub. Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ produces yellow-orange juvenile shoots with mid-green leaves, turning red in autumn. The stems age to a beautiful deep orange. It produces white flowers in summer, followed by blue-black fruit in autumn. This is a low-maintenance plant and easy to grow in mixed beds and borders.
| Sun Requirements | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil | Any good, well-drained soil |
| Hardiness | Fully hardy in all of the UK |
| Size | Grows to 2.5m x 2.5m |
| Flowering time | All through summer |
Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’
Elegantissima’ is a deciduous shrub and bushy dogwood which produces gorgeous white berries. Through spring the bushy green and white trimmed ornamental leaves add a beautiful addition to the garden. Losing its foliage after spring, you can cut them back hard each March for the best show of red stems later in autumn. The shrub thrives in a range of soils, enjoys damper areas and is easy to maintain. Working well in a winter border, Elegantissima’ looks fantastic when planted alongside purple or orange-stemmed varieties of dogwood, or amongst spring flowers and evergreen shrubs.
| Sun Requirements | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil | Any good, well-drained soil |
| Hardiness | Fully hardy in all of the UK |
| Size | Grows to 4m x 4m |
| Flowering time | Spring to summer |
Cornus alba ‘Gouchaultii’
A hardy, deciduous shrub grown for its colourful stems in autumn and winter. The pink, yellow and green variegated leaves are held on bright red stems. Yellow flowers appear in late spring followed by blue berries in summer. Low maintenance, easy-to-grow in mixed beds and borders.
| Sun Requirements | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil | Any good, well-drained soil |
| Hardiness | Fully hardy in all of the UK |
| Size | Grows to 2m x 1.5m |
| Flowering time | Spring |
Cornus alba ‘Kesselringii’
A hardy, deciduous shrub grown for its colourful stems in autumn and winter. Upright purple-black winter stems have dark green leaves turning reddish-purple in autumn. Flat heads of white flowers in spring are followed by white fruit in autumn. Low maintenance, easy-to-grow in mixed beds and borders.
| Sun Requirements | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil | Any good, well-drained soil |
| Hardiness | Fully hardy in all of the UK |
| Size | Grows to 2.5m x 2.5m |
| Flowering time | Spring to summer |
Cornus sanguinea ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’
A slightly smaller Cornus variety, Cornus ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’ has bright orange-red stems. These are covered by mid-green leaves in spring-summer, which turn red in autumn and ultimately fall. Dense clusters of white flowers in summer are followed by blue-black fruit in autumn. This is a wonderful, low-maintenance plant.
| Sun Requirements | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil | Any good, well-drained soil |
| Hardiness | Fully hardy in all of the UK |
| Size | Grows to 1.2m x 0.9m |
| Flowering time | Summer |
Growing Guide
Planting
Ensure you plant your Cornus in either autumn or spring in well prepared soil. With a tree stake plant in a hole twice the size of the roots to give them space to grow. We would also advise wrapping the bottom of the trunk with a tree guard to protect it from rabbits.
Watering
Keep well watered until fully established – the first two to five years after planting.
Pruning
Cut back hard every year for best stem colour – this process is called ‘stooling’ a plant and ensures fresh bright new shoots to optimise winter colour. This can be done in early spring – late March to mid-April, giving more opportunity to enjoy the winter growth.
Planting Ideas
The bright stems of Cornus look particularly striking when planted en masse. Try underplanting with the distinctive black grass Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ for a real pop of colour at a time when most of the garden is not at its best.
Cornus Fact
Because Cornus wood is very hard, it was used historically for items like arrows. One theory suggests that this is the origin of the name ‘dogwood,’ deriving from ‘dagwood’ (dag meaning dagger, arrow etc.)
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