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Cornus, photographed by an iNaturalist contributor
(c) margauxkaz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) · CC BY-NC
#392 most planted

Cornus

Dogwoods · also Cornels, Pagoda dogwood, Alternate-leaved dogwood

SpreadingDeciduous
2,693
trees mapped
0.03%
of all named trees
27
cities
3.9 in
median trunk (10 cm, 2,476 measured)

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Cornus is a genus of deciduous trees and shrubs known for their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Cornus alternifolia, or pagoda dogwood, is a small deciduous tree with a distinctive tiered branching habit, turning vibrant red in fall. It requires consistent moisture and performs best in cool, shaded conditions.

Where it grows

Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.

  1. Calgary · Canada
    1,007—3.9 in
  2. Washington, DC · United States
    4199.6 yr3.0 in
  3. Toronto · Canada
    395—2.4 in
  4. London · United Kingdom
    248—1.0 in
  5. Vancouver · Canada
    149—4.5 in
  6. Victoria · Canada
    116—2.0 in
  7. Paris · France
    56—4.0 in
  8. Burlington, ON · Canada
    41—2.0 in
  9. Denver · United States
    40—3.0 in
  10. Copenhagen · Denmark
    265.8 yr—
  11. Berlin · Germany
    2525 yr6.7 in
  12. Montreal · Canada
    25—0.4 in
  13. Amsterdam · Netherlands
    2311 yr5.9 in
  14. Boston · United States
    2223 yr8.7 in
  15. Halifax · Canada
    20—1.6 in
  16. Winnipeg · Canada
    20—2.4 in
  17. San Francisco · United States
    160.3 yr3.0 in
  18. Kelowna · Canada
    11—2.4 in
  19. New York City · United States
    6—7.0 in
  20. Ajax · Canada
    6—2.0 in
  21. Ottawa · Canada
    5—2.8 in
  22. New Westminster · Canada
    5—3.9 in
  23. Mississauga · Canada
    4—2.6 in
  24. Los Angeles · United States
    3—9.0 in
  25. Burlington · United States
    2—3.5 in
  26. Tokyo · Japan
    2——
  27. Melbourne · Australia
    1—7.9 in

Traits

Form
Spreading
Foliage
Deciduous
Mature height
20–25 ft
Canopy spread
20 ft
Growth rate
Moderate
Drought tolerance
Low
Wildlife value
High
Blooms
Mar, Apr, May

Trunk diameters across every city: median 3.9 in, mean 3.8 in, 90th percentile 5.2 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.

Native range

Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.

Temperate Broadleaf & Mixed Forests

  • Eastern Canadian Forest-Boreal transition
  • Eastern Great Lakes lowland forests

Boreal Forests/Taiga

  • Eastern Canadian forests

Other Cornus in the catalogue

16 of the top 2,000 species are in this genus.

Interested in talking trees? arborary.world@gmail.comTree data © the respective municipal publishers and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).