Cornus florida Cherokee Chief - Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida 'Cherokee Chief' is a splendid American flowering dogwood, beautiful in spring and stunning in autumn. Forming a compact bush, branched from the base, it produces a dazzling ruby pink flowering in April on its bare branches. In summer, it provides a more subtle display with a green mantle. Then autumn arrives, transforming its foliage into a fiery red-orange blaze. It thrives in non-calcareous soil. It is a very beautiful subject when isolated, in a small garden, or planted in a large ensemble such as a free hedge or a bush grove.

Cornus florida 'Cherokee Chief' is a cultivar derived from the American flowering dogwood, a large flowering shrub native to regions in northeastern North America. It belongs to the Cornaceae family. More compact than the type, 'Cherokee Chief' will reach an average height of 3 m (9.8 ft) with a spread of 2 m (6.6 ft) in our climates, sometimes more. Its habit is rather broad, conical, well-branched, and formed by lateral branches growing horizontally on a single, short, often twisted trunk. From May in cooler regions, (sometimes earlier in mild climates), clusters of small moss green flowers with yellow tips form, ranging from 0.5 to 2 cm (0.2 in to 0.8 in) in length, just before or simultaneously with the appearance of the leaves. They are grouped in clusters (glomerules) and are surrounded by 4 large bracts, 4 cm (1.6 in) long, resembling petals, coloured in dark pink tinged with red. This flowering is more abundant if temperatures are high in summer. In September-October, non-edible red fruits, 1 cm (0.4 in) in diameter, appear scattered over the foliage. The deciduous foliage is composed of green leaves that take on beautiful autumn colours. The leaves measure from 10 cm to 15 cm (3.9 in to 5.9 in) long and are wide, ovate, and pointed. They are often twisted or curled. The bark of young branches and twigs is greenish, tinged with red on their sun-exposed side. With age, it becomes grey and cracks.

'Cherokee Chief' is a very hardy variety, down to -20° C (-4° F). It is better suited to humid climates, which however experience fairly hot summers. It requires a non-calcareous, deep, and moist soil. It is stunning when isolated in small gardens, but also performs well in borders and free hedges. It can be planted alongside other early-flowering shrubs (Hamamelis, Magnolia stellata), fragrant and perpetual lilacs from the Bloomerang series, or mock orange. In an ericaceous bed, it is a perfect companion for rhododendrons and deciduous azaleas.