Bluegrass exerts an allelopathic influence on Flowering Dogwood. Planting in beds will alleviate these problems. Useful in the woodland garden. Creamy white or pink rounded bracts surround the tiny yellow flowers in May before the leaves appear. Red glossy berries and purple-red fall foliage give interest in autumn.
Bracts remain effective for up to six weeks.
Soft, edible raspberry-like fruit effective in the fall. Exfoliating bark on mature trees gives year round interest. These hybrids show greater resistance to dogwood anthracnose under normal landscape conditions and are resistant to borer. The Asian counterpart, Cornus officinalis , has shaggy exfoliating bark. Very effective for winter interest and adaptable to wet conditions.