City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/648999
Tree of Merit: Corneliancherry Dogwood (Cornus mas) 38 City Trees This particular dogwood is over- looked for urban use. Durable, cold-toler- ant (hardy to Zone 4), virtually pest-free, and able to withstand a myriad array of the urban soils encountered in the built environment, Corneliancherry will stand the test of time. According to Cornell's Urban Horticulture Institute, it is easy to trans - plant B&B or ≤ 2 inches (51 mm) bare root. A small tree (not typically maturing taller than 30 feet/10m), this specimen can Cornus mas bark and habit • All photos courtesy the Cornell Woody Plants Database be noted for three important ornamental traits: brilliantly-colored fruit, ornamental bark, and flowering habit. Visible mid through late summer, the fire- engine-red fruit is showy. Traditionally bitter to the taste, it is grown as a Vitamin C-rich source of fruit in its native regions of Europe and Russia, and it has a long history of use in traditional Chinese med- icine. Here in North America, its uses are generally limited to jams. Of course, birds Cornus mas fruit Cornus mas flowers enjoy the fruit probably more than any other animal. According to Dr. Michael Dirr, there are varieties of Cornus mas available in the trade that produce larger, even showier appealing fruits that differ in coloration to include yellow ('Flava'). The attractive, exfoliating, laced bark features a dark-light color contrast (dark gray and reddish brown) that provides winter interest. Last, but certainly not least, are the flowers. Corneliancherry has successfully carved itself a niche as one of the very early blooming trees, flowering well in advance of nearly all other woody trees that we would consider appropriate for the urban environment. Before leaf-out, keep an eye out for the small yellow blossoms that are so early, they compete with the daffodil for the title "harbinger of spring." In addition to helping us address our urban forest diversity deficit (as many of us know, nearly 50% of our street trees here in the Northeast are Acer spp.), Corneliancherry may also be an attractive addition to landscapes, parks, green- ways, and even streetscapes. If used as a street tree, some of the lower branches may need to be pruned off for clearance. —Rick Harper, Extension Assistant Professor of Urban & Community Forestry, UMass Department of Environmental Conservation