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Pacific Dogwood
Cornus nuttallii
  
About Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) 26 Nurseries Carry This Plant Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) is a species of dogwood native to western North America from lowlands of southern British Columbia to mountains of southern California. An inland population occurs in central Idaho. Cultivated examples are found as far north as the Queen Charlotte Islands.

This small to medium-sized deciduous tree often has multiple trunks and and an irregular form. What appears to be its flower is actually a dense, rounded, greenish-white flowerhead composed by myriad tiny flowers; the 4 to 8 large white "petals" are actually leaves. Its fruit is a compound pink-red berry, containing 50-100 small seeds; though edible, it is not very palatable.

With its spectacular white flower arrays, bright green leaves, beautiful autumn foliage, and attractive growth form, Pacific Dogwood is among the more popular native California trees in landscaping applications. It's long-lived and easy to grow when planted in its natural range and in the right site type. It needs to be planted in cool, rich, deep and well-draining soil, in part shade, preferably among smaller companion plants, so as it matures it can reach its branches out into direct sun.

Provide occasional summer water until established; then stop all supplementary irrigation. Avoid disturbing the soil within a few feet of the trunk.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Shrub

Size
Size
12 - 65.6 ft tall
6 - 30 ft wide

Form
Form
Upright

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Moderate

Dormancy
Dormancy
Winter Deciduous

Flower Color
Flower Color
Green, White

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Birds, particularly band-tailed pigeons. In wild areas, bear and beaver eat the fruit.

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Shade, Part Shade

Moisture
Moisture
Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Never irrigate once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to -5 - 20° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Prefers soil that is cool, moist, deep, well-drained and high in organic matter.. Soil PH: 4 - 7

Common uses
Common uses
Bird Gardens

Maintenance
Maintenance
Susceptible to anthracnose. To reduce chance of infection, plant in an area with good air circulation, and prune to prevent tight branching patterns.. Prune to an open branching pattern to reduce risk of anthracnose infection.

Propagation
Propagation?
For propagating by seed: 3 to 4 months stratification. Scarification or first soaking in concentrated H2S04 for one hour may improve germination. Fresh seeds may need no pre-treatment (USDA Forest Service 1948).

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
1, 2, 4*, 5*, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Cool partly-shady areas, with deep, rich, well-draining soil, usually at the edge of forests

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 12.1" - 152.2", Summer Precipitation: 0.19" - 5.84", Coldest Month: 25.5" - 53.8", Hottest Month: 47.2" - 79.3", Humidity: 0.10" - 26.55", Elevation: 30" - 10807"

Alternative Names
Common Names: Pacific Mountain Dogwood


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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