For December, 1121 



795 



Dogwood Trees and Shrubs 



ARBORUM AMATOR 



THE Dogwoods, or, as they are sometinies called, 

 Cornels, which name we prefer because it is more 

 eui)honioiis, older, and given for a better reason, 

 belong to the family Cornacccc, and the genus, Comas, 

 which comprises about forty well defined botanical 

 species, many varieties of these species, and several 

 hybrids. It is our purpose to mention only those which 

 are generally considered most ornamental for landscape 

 work. 



The word. Cornel, is a translation of the Latin word 

 Cornus, meaning a horn, and was given to this genus of 

 trees and shrubs, because the wood, especiallv of the trees, 

 is hard like a horn. The word Dogwood w-as given be- 

 cause a decoction of the bark of Cornus sanguinca was 

 used in England to wash mangy dogs. 



Dogwood or Cornel Trees 



Of all the Dogwoods or Cornels which grow in tree 

 form our native Cornus fiorida, Elowering Dogwood, is 

 best known and most popular. This tree attains a height 

 of twenty to thirty feet. Its hardiness, adaptability to 

 almost any location, easy way of fitting in among other 

 trees, deciduous or evergreen, floriferousne^s, large 

 showy flowers (involucres), shining red berries, and 

 beautiful orange-red Autunm foliage all recommend this 

 as one of the best of our native ornamental flowering 

 trees. 



The impression that this is a difficult tree to trans- 

 plant successfully is entirely erroneous, but it is true 

 that it leaves out very slowly the first Summer after the 

 Spring it is transplanted — early Spring transplanting is 

 preferable to Autumn — and that sometimes, indeed it 

 puts on almost no foliage until the second season. If, 

 however, it is transplanted with care it usually lives. 



This tree needs little pruning, as it generally grows in 

 a pleasing form, but that little should be done directly 

 after the blooming period because later pruning w-ill de- 

 stroy the flower buds which grow each Summer and 

 .\utumn for the next season's flowers. 



\\ hat is commonly called the flower is really an in- 

 volucre of four large white bracts sometimes tinged with 

 pink. The real flowers which this handsome, showy 

 involucre surrounds are small and inconspicuous, and 

 grow in clusters. 



Prcbably there are few trees the difl'erent parts of 

 which can be used for as many purjjoses as Cornus 

 tlorida. The w'ood of this tree is hard and heavy and 

 hence good for fonning into tool handles ; the bark when 

 mi.xed with sulphate of iron makes a .good black ink: 

 the bark contains the same elements as Cinchona, but in 

 different proportions and furni.shes a useful substitute 

 for quinine, though not as effective; the twigs when 

 chewed sometimes will ward off a fever; both the fresh 

 twigs and bark make a good tooth powder when ])ulver- 

 ized ; a scarlet dye may be made from the bark of the 

 roots. The beautv. however, of this tree, when in flower 

 and fruit and Autumn foliage is its greatest asset. 



The V.\riet[es of Cornus Florid.x 



There is a lovely pink-flowered variety of Cornus fiori- 

 da. which is called Cornus fiorida rubra. This variety 

 which was first found in \'irginia, and Florida, the white 

 species, when planted near each other, present a pleasing 

 contrs.st and a beautiful si.ght when in full bloom in May. 

 This pink-flowcrcd variety docs not always come true 



from the seed, hence the nurserymen propagate it by 

 budding it on Cornus fiorida seedlings. 



There is also a double-flowered variety of Cornus 

 fiorida, Cornus fiorida fiorc plcno, discovered and propa- 

 gated by Mr. Van Lindley of North Carolina, a com- 

 paratively new and beautiful variety, a fit companion, as 

 its flowers are white, for the species fiorida and contrast- 

 ing pleasingly with the pink-flowered variety rubra. 



W here a weeping tree is desirable the third variety of 

 fiorida, namely Cornus fiorida pcndula may be used ef- 

 fectivelv, esiJecially since there are not many weeping 

 trees which bear large, showy flowers. This variety was 

 discovered by a Dr. Thompson in the woods near Balti- 

 more, Alaryland. ,ind sold to Thomas Meehan, who 

 propagated it and disseminated it. It is a noteworthy 

 fact that all three varieties of fiorida came from the 

 South. 



There is another white-flowered species of dogwood, 

 which comes from Japan, called Cornus Kousa. This 

 closely resembles our native white-flowered Cornus 

 fiorida, but blooms two weeks later, a characteristic which 

 in itself makes this Japan species a desirable 

 addition to our native species and varieties. The flowers 

 (involucres) of this species are creamy white and sharper 

 pointed than those of fiorida and begin to a]>i)ear just 

 after those of fiorida have fallen. This Japanese variety 

 is entirely hardy as far north as Massachusetts and per- 

 haps farther north. 



Dogwood or Cornel Shrubs 



One of the most valuable of the Cornel shrubs is 

 Cornus mas, whose common names are Euroi)ean Dog- 

 wood, English Dogwood, though it is not a native of 

 England, and Cornelian Cherry. The flowers of this 

 shrub, unlike those of Cornus fiorida. are small and yel- 

 low, but like them are borne in clusters from buds 

 formed the previous season. The flowers appear in ex- 

 tremely large numbers in March or April. The berries 

 which follow the flowers are the size of small plums, and 

 bright red. for which reasons this shrub has received the 

 name before mentioned. Cornelian Che^^}^ Tarts and 

 preserves are made of this fruit by the European house- 

 wives. 



Cornus bracJiypoda is a small tree or shrub. This is 

 a native of Japan and central China, countries from 

 wliich manv of our most valuable shrubs have come. 

 This is one of the handsoiuesl of the Cornel shrubs, on 

 .-iccount of its large panicles of white flowers and large 

 foliage, but is not entirely hardy in the north. 



Red-B.\rked Corxel Shrubs 



Several Cornel or Dogwood shrubs present a tri]>le at- 

 uaclion for they bear not only pretty white flowers anil 

 berries but have red-barked twi.gs. the color being most 

 iirilliant usuallv in the Winter when it is most appreci- 

 ated, and most easily seen since the shrub at that season 

 is defoliated. 



One of these red-twigged species is Cornus alba, which 

 attains a height of about 10 feet. In Summer its white 

 flowers appear in dense cymes, and are followed l}y white 

 fruit, hence its s])ecific name alba. During the Summer 

 there is nothing particularly attractive about llie b.irk imt 

 as .soon as the leaves fall in .\utumn. the birk put on a 

 blood-red color which it maintains until it leaves out 

 again the following 'Spring. This ^hrub i^ n native of 



