Cornus alternifolia

• BOTANICAL NAME: Cornus alternifolia
• PRONUNCIATION:
  CORN-us al-ter-ni-FOL-ee-a
• COMMON NAME: Pagoda Dogwood
• FAMILY: Cornaceae
• NATIVITY: East Coast, extending inland to Minnesota
• GROWTH HABIT: Spreading, Horizontal, low branched shrub
• SIZE: 15 to 25' (height)
• HARDINESS: Zone 3 - 7.
• CULTURE: moist, acidic well-drained soils, does best in cooler climates, sun
• LANDSCAPE USE: naturalizing or shrub border
• FOLIAGE Alternate but crowed appearing if whirled, simple, elliptic-ovate, 2" to 5" long
• BUDS: Flowering, reddish-purple glaborous at the base to mostly glaborous at the apex, medium to dark green
• BARK: stems brownish possibly a purple hue, older bark is gray and slightly ridged-and-furrowed
• FLOWER: yellowish white, overpoweringly fragrant, blooms early May to June
• FRUIT: Drupe, bluish-black, bloomy, 1/4" to 1/3" across
• PROPAGATION: seed/ cuttings
• PESTS: Leaf spot, twig blight or canker are problems
• CULTIVARS: 'Argentea', 'Black Stem'