Cornus canadensis - Flowering Dogwood

Cornus canadensis is a cornus unlike any other: it is a perennial ground cover plant and not a shrub or a tree. It is interesting for a good part of the year, first for its beautifully structured foliage, then its geometric inflorescences with 4 large white bracts, followed by bright red berries, and finally for its autumn foliage that turns red. This Canadian cornel constitutes a changing and truly decorative carpet in the undergrowth, at the base of hedges or in shaded flower beds. Very resistant to cold, it thrives in moist, humus-rich and non-chalky soils.

Cornus canadensis belongs, like all cornels, to the Cornaceae family. It is native to eastern North America, but also northeastern Asia. In the wild it is found in forests, in humid and semi-shaded areas, growing in the thick undergrowth. It is actually a suckering undershrub composed of numerous stems which are woody at the base, emerging from a very dense network of trailing rhizomes. When mature in our gardens, this cornel forms beautiful dense mats, not exceeding 15-20 cm (5.9-7.9 in) in height and spreading over a maximum of 1 m².

The stems bear a cluster of 4 to 9 ovate and pointed green leaves, 4 to 9 cm (1.6 to 3.5 in) long, with visible veins, at their tips until September. Mostly deciduous, this foliage disappears in October, after having taken on beautiful red to purple colours. The herbaceous part of the stems dies in winter and new stems are produced every year in spring.

Flowering takes place in June-July or sometimes as early as May, depending on the climate. It takes the form of inflorescences composed of a small compact head of tiny insignificant greenish-red flowers, 1.5 cm (0.6 in) in diameter, surrounded by 4 beautiful white and rounded bracts, measuring 4 to 5 cm (1.6 to 2 in) in length.  The green foliage is then regularly sprinkled with white geometric 'false flowers' that are highly visible from afar, and visited by pollinating insects. The flowers are followed in late summer by red berries in clusters of 4 to 7 berries which are edible and persist until winter.

Cornus canadensis forms a very beautiful ground cover in the undergrowth, in shady and cool areas that can sometimes be difficult to design. Once established, it requires no maintenance. However, it does not tolerate drought or limestone. Plant it in shaded flower beds or at the base of a hedge, under acid-loving shrubs (Rhododendrons, camellias, Pieris, Kalmia). It also forms very beautiful associations with heathers (Calluna) and ferns.