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Cornus

From vivid bare stems in winter to elegant white and pink flower bracts in early summer, Cornus (dogwood) is a beautiful and versatile genus of trees and shrubs

Cornus have been a mainstay at RHS Garden Rosemoor in Devon since Lady Anne Berry started a collection in the 1960s and 70s. With many more species and cultivars added since, it was one of the first to be given National Plant Collection status in 1982. 

RHS Rosemoor’s National Plant Collection of Cornus (excl C. florida) covers 25 species and 85 cultivars, and it was originally begun by the late Lady Anne Berry who gifted Rosemoor to the RHS in 1988. She was a keen plants woman and collector, especially of trees and shrubs, and served as a member of the RHS Woody Expert Group due to her knowledge. 

Cornus kousa
Collection overview

All the dogwoods in the collection come from countries with similar climates to the southwest so are well suited to the conditions at RHS Rosemoor. Cornus kousa originates from China, Korea and Japan. It includes some wild-collected species but the majority are named forms that have been selected to provide a range of different growth habits or flower colour. In the Forest Garden, there is a small selection of Cornus mas (Cornelian cherry), a shrub from Europe with edible fruits that have the taste of a plum when fully ripe. 

This is one of the groups of plants that started Rosemoor’s journey as a new garden back in the 1960s/70s. They still fit in so well with the garden’s ethos and style of horticulture, and they make their presence known during so many different times of the year. We get a lot of value from growing them

Jonathan Webster, Curator and collection Custodian
Best time to see them

The collection contains two main groups: winter stem colour dogwoods and flowering dogwoods. The stem dogwoods’ main season of display is from autumn to spring (October – March) when their bare stems are revealed in bright red, orange, yellow or acid greens. The flowering dogwoods are mainly Cornus kousa cultivars and these peak in late May to June, with fruits later in the summer. Many have good autumn leaf colour, too.

“They’re spread across the whole garden – as we have many different themed garden rooms. We can select cultivars with the right growth habit, stem colour or flower colour to suit various planting combinations. A lot of the stem dogwoods are focused in our Winter Garden and around the Lake to give that dramatic hit of vibrant colour in winter,” says Jonathan.

Winter stem colour

The collection continues to grow, in particular adding more to the redesigned and extended Winter Garden to provide a showcase of dogwoods as a key plant for the winter landscape. “Cornus alba Miracle (‘Verpaalen2’) is one we’ve selected for the new Winter Garden – it has a winter framework of red stems but interesting foliage too: tinged pink as it emerges in spring and then fading to cream and green variegations as the season progresses,” says Jonathan.

A classic combination to brighten winter days are the striking red stems of Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ with the more subtle green to yellow of Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ AGM. A

cultivar Jonathan recommends both for good winter and summer interest is Cornus alba ‘Aurea’ AGM with a red stem in winter but beautiful golden leaves throughout summer, which works well in RHS Rosemoor’s Hot Garden scheme.

Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ AGM with Salix and snowdrops

Not just for winter

The collection of flowering Cornus kousa offers a good representation of older and new selections that are considered to be among the best available. With such a wide selection to see, gardeners can choose one suitable for their garden size, from dwarf or tumbling forms to tall trees. 

Cornus kousa offer interest in many seasons, which is important if you don’t have a big garden. The flowers in early summer are dramatic and not too fleeting. Later, the strawberry-like fruits appear and in autumn the foliage colour is comparable to many other trees.

Jonathan Webster
Cornus kousa ‘Cappuccino’ AGM
“Sadly we don’t have the space to grow all the Cornus kousa cultivars that are available, so we have ones that have been grown here since Lady Anne’s days and then I have added in ones I like or feel are really good selections such as Cornus kousa ‘Cappuccino’ AGM, which is a relatively new cultivar distinct from anything else around and recently received an Award of Garden Merit,” says Jonathan.

One that Jonathan feels should be grown more widely is Cornus kousa ‘Rosemoor Pink’. “I’m a bit biased perhaps but this was an original from Lady Anne’s collection that had been noted by experts as being quite different and unique. Several years ago, we named it after Rosemoor. Its bracts are a lovely shade of vibrant pink that lasts for weeks, and its growth habit is layered rather than upright, which means you can enjoy the colour at a lower level; a great plant which several nurseries are now selling!”

“One of my favourite flowering dogwoods and a great selection for smaller spaces is Cornus kousa ‘Madame Butterfly’, a spreading shrub that in early summer is adorned with white to cream bracts, followed by a mass of strawberry-like fruits that often weigh down the branches.”

Cornus kousa ‘Madame Butterfly’
 Cornus kousa ‘Rosemoor Pink’

Notes on cultivation

  • Cornus sericea and C. alba cultivars are grown for their stems, and to keep them a really vibrant colour it’s best to prune them down to 5–7.5cm from the ground each spring; the regrowth over the summer months is then ready again for your winter display. If you live in a drier region of the country then just remove a third of the oldest wood to ground level each year. 

  • Cornus sanguinea is a British native often found in hedgerows but there are several great named forms we can use in our gardens, such as C. sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’. They are slower growing so only require a third of the oldest wood pruned to ground level each year in order to keep stem colour at its peak.

  • Apart from some formative pruning, summer flowering Cornus kousa cultivars are best left to establish and grow.

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Cornus kousa 'Rosemoor Pink'
kousa 'Rosemoor Pink'
<em>Cornus</em> <em>kousa</em> 'Rosemoor Pink'
Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire'
dogwood 'Midwinter Fire'
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
<em>Cornus</em> <em>sanguinea</em> 'Midwinter Fire'
Cornus alba 'Aurea'
golden Tartarean dogwood
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
<em>Cornus</em> <em>alba</em> 'Aurea'
Cornus kousa 'Rosemoor Pink'
kousa 'Rosemoor Pink'
<em>Cornus</em> <em>kousa</em> 'Rosemoor Pink'
Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire'
dogwood 'Midwinter Fire'
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
<em>Cornus</em> <em>sanguinea</em> 'Midwinter Fire'
Cornus alba 'Aurea'
golden Tartarean dogwood
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
<em>Cornus</em> <em>alba</em> 'Aurea'
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How to grow Cornus

A varied group of deciduous trees and shrubs offering great garden value and year-round attractions. Dogwoods can be structurally beautiful trees that light up the garden with their striking flower bracts in early summer, or brightly-coloured stems that provide winter cheer with their firework colours.

How to grow Cornus

National Collections at the RHS

National Collections at the RHS

Dogwoods for winter bark

Dogwoods for winter bark

Get involved

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