Bloom Blast! June 2, 2010

The sun is out and the garden is popping, so stop on in for a visit!

Cornus capitata, Evergreen Dogwood (pictured above)

Now blooming near the Succulent Garden, our Cornus capitata is a beautifully understated tree that you have to see up close to fully appreciate. It is an evergreen to semi-evergreen tree or shrub native to the Himalayas, northern India and China, and as a tree, it can grow to 20 to 40 feet tall.  The leaves are dark green above, gray-green below, and leathery and rough to the touch. Some older leaves turn purplish or reddish tones in fall, eventually dropping in spring as new growth appears. Flowering in late spring to early summer, the showy parts of its "flower” are actually four petal-like, creamy white to pale yellow bracts surrounding a center cluster of tiny, greenish-white, true flowers. Flowers are followed by fleshy, edible (but very seedy!), strawberry-like berries that ripen in fall. In addition to being ornamental, the fruit is a good food source for birds and squirrels.

Best grown in rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. This tree is winter hardy to USDA Zones 8-9 and its best growth is in sheltered western coastal areas (like the Gardens!). It has no serious insect or disease problems, but won't tolerate heat and humidity.

Visit our website to see photos of some of our other beautiful blooms.

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