Cornus alba
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KOR-nus AL-ba
- Description
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Tartarian dogwood is a shrub in the Cornaceae family. It can be pruned to grow as a small tree. It has an upright and loose form that arches with long unbranched stems as it ages. It tends to sucker to form large colonies, so root pruning may be necessary. Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained soil but it does tolerate a range of soil conditions. The best blood-red color on new stems so remove the oldest stems to encourage growth each winter before leaf-out.
Naturalistic plantings in moist soils where plants are allowed to spread and form thickets. Property line screens. Hedges. Shrub borders. Site shrubs as accents in areas where key ornamental feature, the stem color, can be appreciated.
Seasons of Interest:
Foliage: Fall Bloom: Spring Twigs: Winter
Insects, Diseases and Other Problems: Leaf miner and scale are less serious potential insect pests. When stressed, is susceptible to a large number of disease problems, most serious is dogwood anthracnose. Other diseases include powdery mildew, leaf spot, canker, root rot, and leaf & twig blight. It can also become vulnerable to borers. It is weedy and its suckering can make it difficult to remove so consider a planting site carefully.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Argenteo-marginata', 'Byboughen'
- Tags:


























- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Argenteo-marginata', 'Byboughen'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cornus
- Species:
- alba
- Family:
- Cornaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern/Central Asia
- Distribution:
- Zones 3-7 across the United States
- Wildlife Value:
- Fruits are attractive to birds and plants provide nesting sites. Members of the genus Cornus support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Gonandrena) fragilis, Andrena (Gonandrena) Integra, and Andrena (Gonandrena) platyparia.
- Play Value:
- Screening
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer, Rabbits, Erosion
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4b, 4a, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7b, 7a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- White
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- White to bluish drupe in summer
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Modestly showy, yellowish-white flowers with 4 bracts in spring
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Dark green leaves; 2-4.5 in. long; reddish-purple fall color
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Grown particularly for its blood-red stems in winter. Stems can be long and unbranched.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Patio
- Riparian
- Slope/Bank
- Small Space
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Small Tree
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Erosion
- Rabbits
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems