Cornus florida 'White Cloud'

Flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, is a small deciduous tree native to north and central America. It blooms in early spring, bearing tiny, yellow-green and insignificant blooms surrounded by four showy, pure white, bracts. These contrast with dark green leaves. In autumn the leaves turn a purple-red before falling, complementing bright red fruits loved by birds.

Cornus florida ‘White Cloud’ is a particularly lovely cultivar, bearing masses of creamy white flower bracts and bronze-tinged foliage. Grow in humus-rich, moist but well-drained, neutral to acid soil in a sheltered site in full sun. Plants also make good trees for pots. Pruning is not usually required.