Pagoda Dogwood, Cornus alternifolia

Pagoda Dogwood is a beautiful bushy tree native from Nova Scotia down the Appalachian Region and around the Great Lakes. It grows wide and needs room. It did well in many Chicago area landscapes where the soil was good quality and it was not in a really hot, dry location. The first photo is a specimen I found wild in the woods of se PA, where I occasionally see some. The second is a specimen planted near a church in Downingtown, PA in bloom in mid-may 2011. The third photo shows the flowers clusters of many tiny creamy white flowers. The forth shows the blue-black fruit in late July in Crow's Nest State Park near reading, PA, relished by birds, but not good for people to eat. The fifth photo is in January 2012 of the landscape specimen. This species has a wide branching habit that has twigs in sort of roller coaster-like and wishbone-like formation. Its big brother, the Flowering Dogwood, dominates the market in the East and South. It is a wonderful small tree that should be planted much more.

From your lovely photos, it looks like it likes a bit of sun and elbow room....

Yep, That is just what I got.

It is going to looks so gorgeous in your evergreen bed, Holly.

I've had my eye on this tree for a part-shade area with relatively moist soil. It would be sandwiched by yews, and I think I'd like the mix of contrasting shapes, colors and textures.

RIck (or others), is it necessary to have more than one tree for good fruit set (if that's the term)? If so, I wonder if Cornus alternifolia would cross-pollinate with Cornus florida.

Muddy good question. There are some native dog woods growing at the edge of the woods behind us maybe 200ft between them.

I've been trying to look it up online. So far all I've found that might be useful is that C. alternifolia is sometimes referred to as a "blue-line" dogwood because it has blue berries and C. florida and other dogwoods (e.g. Red Osier dogwood) as "red-line". There are significant differences in the flowers, too, which makes me wonder whether they would cross-pollinate.

I haven't been able find out whether it's self-fertile either.
.

Oh yes there really is a significant difference in the flowers.

When I took a photo of the fruited Pagoda D at Crow's Nest Land Preserve, it was a lone specimen; however, I think I remember a few off in the forest. There is a lone specimen in Downingtown in bloom right now on the west side, I will check it for fruit later. The big specimen that I took photos of is on the east side of town and will check that one too for fruit later in summer.

It seems that all dogwood species can produce fruit even if there is only one tree around. I imagine they produce more when they have a friend nearby, though.