Cornus alba 'Kesselringii'
Kesselring Tatarian Dogwood

Cornus alba ′Kesselringii′ - Winter Habit

Family:

Cornaceae (Dogwood Family) 40

Genus:

Cornus (Dogwood) 40

Plant Type:

Shrub 468

Growth Forms:

Suckering / Colonizing 37

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 3 231

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Deciduous 839

Flower Notes:

Cream (Creamy-white flowers in flat-topped cymes (1.5-2" dia.) in late spring)

Foliage Notes:

Green (Dark green summer foliage); Red-Violet (Intense reddish-purple fall foliage)

Stem Notes:

Purple (Dark brownish purple in the winter)

Fruit Notes:

White (Bluish-white drupes in summer)

Ultimate Height:

6-9 feet

Ultimate Spread:

5-7 feet

Bloom Times:

Light Requirements:

Soil Notes:

Adaptable to a variety of soil conditions, but prefers a moist, well-drained soil

Range:

Cultivated origin

Maintenance:

Low 272

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Leaves (2-4.5" long and half as wide) opposite, simple, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, usually rounded at base, dark green above and somewhat glaucous beneath. Dogwood veins sweep toward, but never contact, the leaf margin. Round fruit is bluish white and flattened slightly at each end. Stems have prominent whitish lenticels and become a deep brownish-purple in fall and winter.

Ecological Functions:

Special Characteristics:

Additional Information

This cultivar is known for its deep purple twigs in winter and rich reddish-purple foliage in fall. Grows well in a variety of situations, including wet soil. Easy to transplant. 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. Canker can be a problem.