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giant dogwood
Scientific Name: Cornus controversa
Family: Cornaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Giant Dogwood (Cornus controversa)
The Giant Dogwood, also commonly known as the Wedding Cake Tree, is a beautiful and distinctive deciduous tree prized for its tiered, horizontal branching structure.
Considerations for Pets and Children
- The text mentions berries, so observation is needed to ensure that children and pets are not ingesting them.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Cornus controversa Hemsl. ex Prain
- Common Names: Giant Dogwood, Wedding Cake Tree
- Genus: Cornus
- Family: Cornaceae
- Synonym: Swida controversa
- Varieties/Cultivars:
- Cornus controversa 'Variegata'
- Cornus controversa 'June Snow'
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to Japan, China, and the Himalayas.
- Often found in shaded garden sites.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Deciduous tree, typically reaching 30 to 50 feet (approximately 9 to 15 meters) in height, with some sources mentioning it can attain a height of 15 m in its natural surroundings.
- Fast-growing.
- Characterized by regularly tiered, horizontal branches, creating a layered appearance.
- Rounded crown.
- Leaves turn rich purple-red in autumn.
- Features clusters of creamy white flowers in May-June.
- Berries develop after flowering.
- Some varieties, like 'Variegata', display white-splashed and margined foliage.
Other Noteworthy Details
- Hardy to zone 5 (UK).
- Flowers from June to July.
Quirky Facts
- The "Wedding Cake Tree" nickname stems from its tiered branch structure, resembling the layers of a wedding cake, and its profusion of flat white flower clusters covering the horizontal branches like a coating of snow.
Further Information
- Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
- Dave's Garden
- J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.