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Tree List California
Native Plants |
Cornus
nuttallii * Mountain Dogwood |
In the Spring and Fall Cornus
nuttallii is unforgettable. When I first saw the Mountain Dogwood I was surprised that there was a California native dogwood. I
had always thought of the dogwoods as eastern plants. Cornus nuttallii
grows in the mixed evergreen
woodland as part of the under-story. It can grow to 40 feet but is
most often 20 feet or less. It naturally grows
in areas that get lots of rain and at altitudes of around 3000 feet.
The Mountain Dogwoods are often found mixed in the understory of redwood groves in the Sierras. I have seen
attempts at growing dogwoods in more drought prone portions of the state.
This can be difficult. One of the most critical aspects of growing
the native Mountain Dogwood is planting it in the shade of larger
trees. Compensating for the salinity of lowland water can be
accomplished by using soil sulfur
or gypsum. Adding copious quantities of organic material is always a
good idea in the garden. Organic material releases
acid as it breaks down buffering the salts suspended in the water. Given
a cool shady moist location with lots of organic material Cornus nuttallii
can be grown.
High resolution images
of Cornus nuttallii are available.
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