Practical
Plants

Cornus macrophylla

Large-Leaf Dogwood

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Cornus genus in the family Cornaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Cornaceae
Genus
Cornus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
15 m
Spread
10 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked[11][2][6][7][12][13]. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter[12].

Plant part
Fruit

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Anodyne, astringent, tonic[9]. The wood is anodyne and a uterosedative[13]. The stem bark is used in the treatment of dysentery[13].

Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Wood - hard, close grained, warps badly[7]. It makes a good charcoal[6][7].

Product or use
Charcoal
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Himalayas.
Habitat
Woodlands, 1200 - 1800 metres in W. China[3]. Slopes, by streams, dense forests, mixed woods and margins of woods from sea level to 3600 metres[15].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in an outdoors seedbed if there is sufficient seed[17][5]. The seed must be separated from the fruit flesh since this contains germination inhibitors[17][8]. Stored seed should be cold stratified for 3 - 4 months and sown as early as possible in the year[8]. Scarification may also help as may a period of warm stratification before the cold stratification[17][8]. Germination, especially of stored seed, can be very slow, taking 18 months or more[8]. Prick out the seedlings of cold-frame sown seeds into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on for their first winter in a greenhouse, planting out in the spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe side shoots, July/August in a frame[10]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, taken with a heel if possible, autumn in a cold frame. High percentage[16]. Layering of new growth in June/July. Takes 9 months[16].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility[1], ranging from acid to shallow chalk[12]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in full sun or light shade[[10]. A very ornamental tree[1]. There is some confusion between this species and C. controversa[4]. Plants usually fruit heavily in Britain[4]. The flowers have a soft sweet perfume[14]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[12].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.

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  4. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  5. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

  6. Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  7. Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  10. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2

  11. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  12. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  13. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3

  14. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  15. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩

  16. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  17. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

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