Cornus nuttallii – Pacific Dogwood – Cornaceae (The Dogwood Family)

Description Cornus nuttallii is our very own Pacific or western flowering dogwood tree and the floral emblem of BC! Its graceful form displays smooth, reddish-brown to black bark becoming scale-like with age. The flowers are small, spherical, dense clusters of greenish-white flowers, supported by 4 to 6 large, white petal-like bracts that act as flags for pollinators. Flowers ripen into a tight ball of bright red fruit. Oval foliage is dark green with prominent veins and slightly wavy margins taking on pinkish-red tones in autumn. The trees are usually multi-branched with a rounded crown growing from 30-50 feet tall and 10-30 feet wide. They can thrive in full sun to part shade but perform best in part shade, in humus rich, moist to wet, well-drained soils. High flood and drought tolerance. Makes for a beautiful specimen tree, for soil stabilization and by stream banks. Attracts pollinators. Deer resistant.