OTHER COMMON NAMES: ROUGH-LEAF DOGWOOD, NATIVE DOGWOOD

BOTANICAL NAME:    Cornus drummondii  (KOR-nus druh-MUN-dee-eye)

FAMILY:   Cornaceae (Dogwood Family)

TYPE:     Deciduous large shrub or small tree

HEIGHT:   10 to 15 feet

SPREAD:   Spreading by root suckers

FINAL SPACING: 6 to 12 feet

NATURAL HABITAT AND PREFERRED SITE:   Natural habitat is the edges of thickets, streams, creeks and fencerows. Rough leaf dogwood will grow well in a range of soils from sand to clay.

IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION:  Thicket forming and bush. Stems are reddish and very decorative in the winter

FLOWERS AND FRUIT: Small white flowers in clusters in late spring, white fruits in the fall that disappear quickly because the birds love them.

BARK:     Young stems are reddish becoming gray with age.

FOLIAGE:  Rough, hairy leaves. Fall color ranges from red to deep purple. Simple, opposite, and deciduous, 1 to 5 inches long, olive green on top, paler beneath.

CULTURE:  Very easy to grow in most any soils but it does spread easily by seed and suckers and can become a pest. Drought tolerant plant.

PROBLEMS: Fairly common leaf fungus which can be controlled with the Sick Tree Treatment and a spray of Garrett Juice plus garlic or potassium bicarbonate for serious problems. Can become be a very invasive plant so be careful where it is planted.

PROPAGATION:  Extremely easy from stem cuttings, root division or seed which can be planted immediately after harvest.

INSIGHT:  The wood is used to make woodenware products and charcoal. The fruit is eaten by several species of wildlife.