Cornus Species, Alternate-Leaf Dogwood, Green Osier, Pagoda Dogwood

Cornusalternifolia

Genus
Cornus (KOR-nus)
Species
alternifolia (al-tern-ee-FOH-lee-uh)
Synonym
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Light Shade
Partial to Full Shade
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
20-30 ft. (6-9 m)
Spacing
20-30 ft. (6-9 m)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
Danger
N/A
Bloom Color
White/Near White
Bloom Time
Late Spring/Early Summer
Other Details
Category
Trees
Water Requirements
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Grow outdoors year-round in hardiness zone
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
From softwood cuttings
By grafting
By budding
Seed Collecting
Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed
Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Vincent, Alabama

Juneau, Alaska

Hot Springs Village, Arkansas

Suwanee, Georgia

Chicago, Illinois

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Grayslake, Illinois

Waukegan, Illinois

Indianapolis, Indiana

Logansport, Indiana

Valparaiso, Indiana

Clermont, Kentucky

Frankfort, Kentucky

Georgetown, Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky

Paris, Kentucky

Versailles, Kentucky

Coushatta, Louisiana

Kansas City, Missouri

Great Falls, Montana

Lincoln, Nebraska

Hendersonville, North Carolina

Dundee, Ohio

Grove City, Ohio

Mantua, Ohio

Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Rumford, Rhode Island

Hood, Virginia

Bainbridge Island, Washington

Ridgefield, Washington

Cambridge, Wisconsin

Ellsworth, Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin

show all

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Gardener's Notes:

6
positives
1
neutral
0
negative
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C
ROSLINDALE, MA | November 2015 | neutral

This tree's strongest ornamental feature is its layered horizontal branching pattern, which accounts for the common name "pagoda dogwood"...Read More

R
Downingtown, PA | January 2014 | positive

It is a high quality, neat, clean shrubby tree with handsome foliage, good red fall color, purplish smooth twigs, plus branches, in a wis...Read More

P
Valparaiso, IN | April 2012 | positive

Beautiful tree with such delicate-looking, arching branches. Native in my state of Indiana. This tree grows for me in what is almost fu...Read More

V
Hood, VA (Zone 7a) | January 2010 | positive

These little trees starting popping up in our wooded property after most of the Cornus florida were wiped out by anthracnose. The flower...Read More

J
Logansport, IN | January 2006 | positive

Native here in the Wabash Valley, this very large shrub responds well to serious pruning. Wild clumps lose tops regularly to flooding an...Read More

O
Dundee, OH (Zone 5b) | June 2004 | positive

Very nice form to this Native Dogwood, which is what a botanist in Ohio here told me this was after searching forever trying to identify ...Read More

L
Grove City, OH (Zone 6a) | January 2003 | positive

This tree suffers considerable die-back in dry conditions, but more than makes up for that in its ability to produce healthy new branches...Read More

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