Asiatic Dogwood

Cornus officinalis

Native to:
China

📍 View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Cornaceae
Genus:
Cornus
Species:
Cornus officinalis
USDA Symbol:
COOF3

Growth Characteristics

Height:
900 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
feb,mar,apr
Bloom Colors:
yellow
Landscaping Shrub:
Yes

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds
Deer Resistant:
Yes
Fall Color:
red, purple

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
fertile, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
good drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers organically rich soils

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–120 days
Germination Time:
30–90 days
Notes:
Requires warm stratification followed by cold stratification for reliable germination. Seeds may take two years to germinate without proper treatment.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI