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One of the most striking ornamental trees in the garden is without a doubt the dogwood (Cornus), also called horn bush. The genus includes about 55 species, many of which are hardy. Each variety inspires in its own way with flowers and fruits.
In a nutshell
- Dogwood varieties have different visual characteristics
- The choice of type depends on the type of use and your own preferences
- Hedges: Yellow, Red, Yellowwood and Yellowwood dogwoods
- Solitaire/Tree: American and Asian Flower Dogwood, Pagoda Dogwood
- Ground Cover: Carpet Dogwood
Dogwood for hedges
No matter what the site conditions in the garden are. There will always be a horn bush that can thrive optimally there. If you want to set up a flowering hedge, you can also tackle this project, because the cutting tolerance is good. Even radical pruning does not bother the ornamental tree. Shrubby, lower varieties are ideal for hedges.
Yellowwood Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)
The 'Flaviramea' variety is particularly beautiful, although it is leafless in winter, it is by no means a desolate sight. Its twigs are bright yellow in colour, making them an eye-catcher. Already in autumn they form a strong contrast with the red autumn leaves. Its flowers, which appear from May to June, are white-yellow. As the shrub grows to about 2.5 tall and as wide, it is well suited for wide hedges.
Source: Superior National Forest, Cornus stolonifera 1 (5098090536), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 2.0
Yellow dogwood (Cornus mas)
The yellow horn bush is a native plant, which is therefore ideally suited to our climate. It can grow as a tree or as a shrub like a hedge. It is best known under the name Cornelian cherry, as it bears numerous small, red, somewhat elongated fruits that are vaguely reminiscent of cherries. The fruits are preceded by small flowers, which cannot be overlooked because of their bright yellow colour.
Tip: Get your hands on it when the cornelian cherries turn dark red in autumn. The small fruits can be processed into tasty jams and jellies. Some also like to eat them raw.
Red Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)
The domestic red dogwood is robust and requires little care. Uncut, it can reach a height of up to five meters. It is also known under the names blood-red dogwood, dogberry, red leg wood or red horn bush. Its distinctive features are:
- white umbellate inflorescences with up to 50 flowers
- young twigs have a decorative reddish bark
- red foliage in autumn
- popular and particularly colorful variety: 'Midwinter Fire'
- black-blue, berry-like drupes
Tip: The leaves, bark and roots of the red dogwood are considered slightly poisonous. Contact with the hairy leaves, for example, can lead to rashes in sensitive people.
White Dogwood (Cornus alba)
Three white-flowering varieties are ideal for low hedges with growth heights of between 2 and 3 m:
- Redwood Dogwood 'Sibirica'
- Redwood Dogwood 'Elegantissima'
- Blackwood Dogwood 'Kesselringii'
Redwood Dogwood 'Sibirica'
The name reveals in which color the bark of the branches shines. It stands out especially in winter, as soon as the ornamental trees have shed the foliage, which was previously colored in bright red tones. Incidentally, the 'Elegantissima' variety has beautiful green and white variegated foliage in summer. Its fruits are small, red and round. The other two varieties bear green summer foliage and adorn themselves with white-bluish fruits. All varieties have white, umbrella-like inflorescences.
Great Hornbush - Trees
American Dogwood (Cornus florida)
The American Dogwood can grow to be a 4-6m tall tree. From a height of about two meters, it shows its flowers. Then at the latest it becomes clear why this dogwood species is so popular as a solitaire.
- Flowering time starts around April
- large pseudo-flowers, white or pink depending on the variety
- in autumn the leaves turn scarlet or purple
- popular varieties are 'Cherokee Chief' and 'Cherokee Sunset', as well as 'Rainbow' and 'Sweetwater'
Asian Flowering Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
The Asian flowering dogwood enchants with flowers that can be more than 10 cm in diameter. Two subspecies are distinguished:
- Japanese flower dogwood (Cornus kousa subsp. Kousa)
- Chinese flower dogwood (Cornus kousa subsp. chinensis)
Japanese flower dogwood (Cornus kousa subsp. Kousa)
The Japanese flower dogwood can grow up to 8m high and just as wide. It bears crystal white to pink inflorescences. The 'Satomi' variety is popular and well-known. Its fruits are reminiscent of small pink strawberries.
The Chinese flower hornbush blooms creamy white or bright white, the edges of the flowers have a pink rim. Popular varieties are 'China Girl', 'Milky Way', 'Teutonia' and 'Wieting select'.
Notice: What the observer perceives as blossoms are in fact pseudo-blossoms. In the middle are the actual flowers, small and inconspicuous. The rest of the mock flower consists of four large bracts.
Hong Kong Dogwood (Cornus hongkongensis)
The Hong Kong dogwood grows in this country as a shrub or small tree of about 4.5 m. Its special feature is that it is evergreen! He also has this to offer:
- beautiful flowers or white bracts from April
- decorative and edible red fruits up to 3 cm in diameter
Tip: While hardy and adaptable, the Hong Kong dogwood should be given winter protection in harsh areas.
Pagoda dogwood (Cornus controversa)
The pagoda dogwood also comes from Asia. It has a pyramid-shaped crown, which is made up of individual tiers. This species is therefore also known as tiered dogwood. Also giant dogwood because of its size potential of up to 15 m. Other decorative features are:
- white, about 1 cm large flowers from June to July
- unfortunately without conspicuous bracts
- crimson foliage in autumn
- pea-sized, blue-black seeds in September and October
Dogwood as ground cover
There is a species of dogwood that is neither a tree nor a shrub. The carpet dogwood (Cornus canadensis), also known as the Canadian dogwood, is a perennial. It drives many offshoots, with which it spreads like a carpet. The carpet dogwood remains very low with a growth height of about 20 cm. The typical attributes of such are:
- red autumn colour
- red, berry-like drupes
- Flowers are dark knobs
- bordered by four large, white bracts
The carpet dogwood is not evergreen, as it changes its entire foliage every year. But in mild regions it is at least winter green. i.e. it only sheds its leaves in the spring of the following year and adorns itself almost seamlessly with new shoots.
Tip: This ground cover is ideal for partially shaded areas. In sunny locations, it needs to be watered often.
frequently asked Questions
What planting distances do I have to keep in a hedge?Dogwoods naturally grow sprawling. A planting distance of about one meter offers the hedge plant enough space for development. At the same time, the distance is small enough that a closed hedge can quickly form.
Are dogwoods suitable for a family garden?Most dogwoods are mildly poisonous, especially the leaves, bark, and roots. In humans, they cause only mild symptoms of poisoning such as skin irritation, nausea and vomiting. For small pets such as rabbits or cats, however, nibbling on the horn bush can be fatal.
Which dogwood species tolerate shade?The low-growing carpet dogwood that can be planted as ground cover under trees. Pagoda dogwood also adapts well to shady places.
When is the best time to plant?Horn bush can be planted both in spring and in autumn.