This feature will appear in the blog throughout the year. Many plants have fallen out of favor over the years, but for the sake of bio-diversity and landscape interest they deserve to be resurrected. Today's featured plant is:
Cornus alternifolia, commonly called Pagoda dogwood.
This is a small tree or large multi-stemmed shrub that typically grows 15 to 25 feet tall with distinctive tiered or layered horizontal branching, turned up at the tips. It is native to both moist and dry forest margins, stream banks and fields from Newfoundland to Minnesota, south to northern Arkansas and through the Appalachians to Georgia and Alabama.
Small fragrant, yellowish-white flowers give way to bluish black fruits on red stalks. Elliptic-ovate medium green leaves turn reddish-purple in the fall. Although the leaves of most dogwoods are opposite, those of the pagoda dogwood are alternate, hence the scientific name. The common name, Pagoda Dogwood, refers to the up-turned branches, reminiscent of the roof lines of pagodas.
This plant is hardy from zones 5 through 9. Ideal to use as a focal point, it fits perfectly in light shade or along edges of woodland, for settings from small gardens through large estates. Pagoda dogwood prefers acidic soils with PH from 6.5 to 5.5, and pairs well with rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias.