Shrubs of the Genus Cornus

Types

• Red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea), gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa), silky dogwood (Cornus amomum) and roughleaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii) are native to North America. Japanese cornel dogwood (Cornus officinalis) and tatarian dogwood (Cornus alba) are native to Japan and China.

Size

• Gray dogwood can attain heights of 10 to 15 feet. Silky dogwood grows to 12 feet. Smaller Cornus shrubs include tatarian dogwood, which grows to between 4 and 8 feet tall, and red-osier dogwood, which ranges in height from 6 to 9 feet.

Features

• The varied features of these Cornus shrubs enhance their landscaping value. Tatarian dogwood, for example, has blood-red stems in winter, adding color to the countryside, as do the bright red stems of red-osier dogwood. The white flowers that bloom on gray dogwood occur in clusters, while Japanese cornel dogwood in early spring produces yellow flowers that eventually turn into red fruits.