Contents
Dogwoods are a family that includes 4 genera and 65 species. These cultures grow in the subtropics and temperate regions located in the northern hemisphere and the Arctic, southern and tropical Africa, in Indo-Malesia. Today we will talk about dogwood varieties that can be grown in our country, their description and features.
Description
Dogwood is a tree or shrub that can safely be called evergreen and deciduous. Sometimes it grows in the form of a rhizomatous shrub. It often has opposite, rather than alternate, peritoneural sheets that do not have stipules.
The flowers are located in primate inflorescences, they are rather small and 4 – 5-membered. They are rarely dioecious. The calyx has small teeth along the edges. The number of petals and stamens is often 4 – 5. The stamens are attached to the nectar disk and grow alternately with the petals.
The dogwood fruit is a drupe. It is often endowed with the shape of a ball or ellipse, painted in rich red, red-orange, blue-black, blue, black. There is also a white dogwood. By 1548, such an interesting name became known, which sounded like a dog-tree. Only by 1614 did it change, and it became popularly known as dogwood. Currently, in the circles of lovers of cultivated plants, the name of the tree is hounds tree, which has an interesting translation – “dog tree”. The culture received its second modern name “strawberry tree” due to the presence of dense capitate inflorescences, which then transform into juicy fruits.
Video “Cornwood varieties”
From the video you will learn about the varieties of this tree.
Varieties
The dogwood tree, beloved by many, has a presentable and characteristic appearance, is distinguished by rich and beautiful flowering due to unusual flowers and foliage, noticeable yellow or red shoots after leaf fall. It is customary to use it for single or collective plantings, creating thickets under the canopy of trees or in open areas of the area. Among the varieties of dogwood, the most popular can be distinguished, on which we propose to dwell in more detail.
Real
This is a European species, it is also turf. Known since ancient Greece. It grows in the territory of the south-west of Our Country, the south of Ukraine, the Caucasus, Moldova, Central South Asia, Asia Minor, as well as the Balkans. In Crimea, the names of such folk varieties as Sultansky, Tsaregradsky and Shpansky are known. Sultansky came to us from the territory of distant Turkey, where there are a large number of thickets that grow freely in natural conditions.
Cornel real grows on the territory of those countries that are characterized by the presence of a continental climate. Its rich red fruits are pleasing to the eye in late February – early March. At an early age, the culture tends to form only male flowers. The fruits are sweet and sour with a special smell. Due to the presence in the composition of the berries of such important elements for health, pectin, fructose, glucose, minerals of iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, the fruits are useful for people with disorders of the cardiovascular system. They also help fight accumulated physical fatigue, improving well-being and uplifting mood. Plants live for about 150 – 200 years, the yield from each tree at the age of 15 – 20 years is about 40 – 80 kg. Does not require special agricultural technology.
Drug
Also called cornus officinalis. This plant is known in Japan, Korea and Northeast China as an effective remedy for many ailments. It is included in medicines used to heal the bladder and kidneys, Korean fees that help with impotence. In East Asia, it is used as an anti-diabetic plant. The advantages of the variety include drought resistance and winter hardiness, the ability to grow on any soil. The bark of its trunk is brown or orange. During the flowering period, namely in March, the trees are especially beautiful.
Swedish
This representative of the dogwood family belongs to herbaceous plants. Swedish, aka Alpine, comes from the mountains of Europe, where it is most common. It has creeping stems with underground rhizoids. They tend to grow a couple of centimeters per season. This type of dogwood can actually be found in places where there is high humidity. It prefers to grow on peaty, moist soils with a sufficient level of acidity. Can also grow as a groundcover under acidophilic shrubs.
Canadian
Such a dogwood shrub, like the Canadian one, is a dense thicket. A small inflorescence with small and yellow-green flowers is surrounded by a white wrapper consisting of 4 petals. Fruits of saturated red color are collected in infructescence. Normally tolerates such a variety, even excessive shading. In cultivation, it can grow as a groundcover.
Flowering
Varieties of dogwood, which are distinguished by their decorative effect, can boast of a relationship with a flowering variety. Breeders are tirelessly working to expand the color palette of varieties.
The flowering species is one of the most beautiful trees in America. It is a tree about 5 meters in size, ovate leaves and colorful white-green inflorescences. Flowers can be seen in April – May.
Fruits are painted orange-red. The flowering species has been chosen as the symbol of the state of Missouri. Its famous varieties are Cherokee Breev, Cherokee Princesses, Cherokee Chief. It is used in landscaping, it is able to form chic medium-sized trees, on which there are many fruits of an unusual shape. On the territory of Central Asia, this species has not lost its well-deserved popularity for about two hundred years. It has high winter hardiness. Can grow normally in northern regions. In our country, it is available on the territory of the Crimea and botanical gardens.
Nutalla
This type is also called mountainous. It has a multi-flowered inflorescence with a wrapper of 6 leaves, painted in a delicate pale pink or white. The fruit is an ellipse. It has a diameter of 6 mm and a length of not more than 10 mm. Flowering culture occurs in May. Under natural conditions, it grows in the west of North America. It is grown even in closed ground conditions – in wooden tubs. Each such plant is highly valued by interested parties and, if purchased, will cost a lot of money.
Heady
Dogwood capitate, or capitate is also known as strawberry tree. Its fruits traditionally grow in whole seedlings, which are distinguished by a beautiful orange-red color. The inflorescence usually consists of 25 – 30 flowers. Under natural conditions, it is found in Central China, as well as the Himalayas. Such a species as spore dogwood is very decorative. This is a culture that has horizontal branches. Variety Variegata is unusual due to the variegated petals, edged with a white stripe.
Japanese
Coase – this is the second name of the Japanese dogwood. It has bracts – pointed leaves of the wrapper. In the process of growing up, cultures acquire delicate pink and white shades. Flowering occurs in June, lasts more than 6 weeks. Such excellent varieties of this species are known as Moonlight, Autumn Rose, Radiant Rose, Moonlight, Blue Star, Silver Cup, Butterfly.
The bark naturally has a characteristic gray, brown or bronze color, and over time it tends to flake off. The fruits of berries, beloved by many gardeners and our country, are usually drupes no longer than 6 cm long and reaching 2 cm in diameter. When ripe, they turn red. Less juicy than a real or medicinal variety. They can be used both fresh and after processing.
Video “Benefits and harms of dogwood”
From the video you will learn about the benefits and harms of this tree.
