Plants

Shrub

Indiana Native

Cornus amomum
[Silky Dogwood]

Easy to transplant. Relatively trouble-free. A three-year pruning cycle improves form, vigor, and winter stem color effect. Cutting all stems 6-12" from ground in late winter has similar effect. Best in mass plantings. Excellent for winter color. Scale and leaf spot can be a problem. Can appear a bit coarse in the landscape.

Indiana Native

Tree

Indiana Native

Cornus drummondii
[Roughleaf Dogwood]

Very similar to C. amomum.

Indiana Native

Tree

Indiana Native

Cornus florida
[Flowering Dogwood]

One of the finest small trees, interesting at almost every season. Distinct horizontal branching patterns. Widely adaptable, but material of different geographic origin varies widely in hardiness. Fruit is an important food supply for native birds and other animals. Not extremely drought-tolerant, but useful in most parts of the Midwest. Dogwood borer and dogwood anthracnose (caused by Discula destructiva) can be problematic, especially in the Eastern and Southern US. Difficult to transplant. Not pollution tolerant.…

Indiana Native

Tree

Indiana Native

Cornus florida var. rubra
[Pink Flowering Dogwood]

The variety rubra is a group of Flowering Dogwoods with beautiful pink bracts of varying intensities. Flowering Dogwoods are one of the finest small trees, interesting at almost every season, and with a branching pattern that is distinctly horizontal. Widely adaptable, but material of different geographic origin varies widely in hardiness, and the flowers of variety rubra tend to be less cold hardy than those of the white flowering type. Fruit is an important food…

Indiana Native

Shrub/Tree

Indiana Native

Cornus racemosa
[Gray Dogwood]

The Gray Dogwood is a tough, suckering, deciduous shrub that is native to Indiana and is noted for its small, white flower clusters, white fruits, and persisting red fruit pedicels. Tolerates poor soils (including wet soils), drought, full sun, full shade, and air pollution. Suckers can become a problem if not controlled.

Indiana Native

Shrub

Indiana Native

Cornus sericea
[Redosier Dogwood]

This plant has red twigs all year round, but the color is especially prominent in winter. Grows well in a variety of situations, including wet soil. Easy to transplant. Relatively trouble-free. A three-year pruning cycle improves form, vigor, and winter stem color effect. Cutting all stems 6-12" from ground in late winter has similar effect. Best in mass plantings. Excellent for winter color. Leaf blights and twig cankers can be problematic.

Indiana Native

Shrub

Indiana Native

Corylus americana
[American Hazelnut]

The American Hazelnut is a medium to fast growing shrub and an Indiana native. Being monoecious, the male catkins are 1 1/2 to 3" long, that emerge yellowish brown and are quite showy in early spring. The female catkins are inconspicuous with its stigma and style barely protruding out of the buds, but the color is a rich red. The American Hazelnut is a great large shrub for native restoration projects or adding seasonal interest…

Indiana Native

Tree

Indiana Native

Crataegus crus-galli
[Cockspur Hawthorn]

The strong horizontal branching is good for softening vertical lines of buildings. The 2-3" thorns can be dangerous, especially around children. Although attractive, some find the small, white flowers malodorous. Fireblight, leaf spot, and cedar-hawthorn rust are among the worst problems to affect this species. Japanese beetles like to feed on hawthorns.

Indiana Native

Tree

Indiana Native

Crataegus mollis
[Downy Hawthorn]

Quite susceptible to cedar-hawthorn rust, with leaves heavily spotted with orange in some years. Rust limits usage in many areas. Large fruit pose a maintenance issue when they drop.

Indiana Native