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Trees

Cornus nuttallii 'North Star'

mountain dogwood 'North Star'

A vigorous tree up to 7.5m in height with upward branches ascending. Purple new shoots emerge into larger leaves which are simple, opposite, ovate and dark-green, changing to deep red in autumn. Large star-shaped flowers, of mostly six barely overlapping, ruffle-veined, white bracts, up to 15cm in diameter, surround a prominent greenish- yellow centre. These are followed by a small number of slightly fleshy red berries per flower, with blue-black tips.

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Ultimate height

8–12 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Cornaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Genus: Cornus can be deciduous shrubs or trees, or creeping, woody-based perennials, some with brightly coloured young stems. Tiny flowers are borne in dense clusters, sometimes with showy bracts. Many have fine autumn colour
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained neutral to acid soil in sun or part shade. For more advice, see flowering dogwood cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by stratified seed and sow in spring or graft budding. Semi-hardwood cuttings can succeed, but these produce poorer plants.

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

Generally pest-free but may be susceptible to horse chestnut scale

Diseases

May be susceptible to cornus anthracnose and Powdery mildews

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