Constellation Flowering Dogwood

Constellation Flowering Dogwood (Cornus × rutgersensis 'Constellation')
Height: 25 feet Spread: 25 feet Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade Hardiness Zone: 5a Group/Class: Rutgers Stellar Series
 
Description: The Constellation Flowering Dogwood is a stunning spring-flowering tree with lovely white blooms and foliage that changes to a reddish purple in the fall. The flower bracts are widely separated and have a thinner structure, adding a delightful airiness. This tree is a great choice for a garden accent tree.
 
Ornamental Features:
Flowers: Clusters of white flowers with white bracts held atop the branches in late spring.
Fruits: Abundance of magnificent crimson berries from early to mid-fall.
Foliage: Green deciduous foliage. The pointy leaves turn an outstanding plum purple in the fall.
Bark: Peeling gray bark and antique red branches are extremely showy, adding significant winter interest.
 
Landscape Attributes:
Multi-stemmed deciduous tree with a stunning habit of growth featuring almost oriental horizontally-tiered branches.
Average texture that blends into the landscape but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
Low-maintenance tree; should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers.
Good choice for attracting birds to your yard.
No significant negative characteristics.
 
Recommended Uses:
Accent
Shade
 
Planting & Growing:
Grows to about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 25 feet.
Low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, suitable for planting under power lines.
Grows at a slow rate and can live for 40 years or more under ideal conditions.
Thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Prefers average to evenly moist conditions but will not tolerate standing water. May require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat.
Very fussy about soil conditions; must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success. Subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils.
Somewhat tolerant of urban pollution; will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location.
Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates.
This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.