Cornus florida 'Cloud 9' - Flowering Dogwood
DESCRIPTION
Flowering DogwoodCornus florida 'Cloud 9'
Flowering dogwood has spreading horizontal branches and distinctive white flowers in spring. The 3" diameter flower clusters bloom mid-April to mid-May, attracting a number of butterflies and other pollinators. 'Cloud 9' flowers profusely and has extra showy, overlapping white bracts. Clusters of glossy red fruit mature in fall and persist into winter when they are eaten by birds. The leaves turn scarlet red in fall.
BENEFITS
- Very early to bloom
- Nectar and pollen attracts butterflies and other pollinators
- Berries provide excellent food for birds such as robins, catbirds, mourning doves
- Provides nesting sites for a number of birds
- Good fall color
- Attractive winter form
NATIVE INFO
Native Range
Woods from southeastern Maine to southern Ontario and Michigan south to Illinois, Oklahoma, Northeastern Mexico and Florida.
Map Credit: The Biota of North America
Map Key: Green (native), Teal (native, adventive), Blue (present), Yellow (present & rare), Red (extinct)
Interesting Facts
The true flowers of flowering dogwoods are actually tiny, yellow green structures compacted into round clusters. Each flower cluster is surrounded by four showy, white, petal-like bracts which open flat, giving the appearance of a single, large, 3-4" diameter, white flower.
GROWING TIPS
Grow in full sun to part shade. Plant in well-drained soil with adequate soil moisture. Does not tolerate dry soil. Prefers organically rich, acidic soil in part shade. A 4" layer of organic mulch helps keep roots cool and moist in summer.