Cornus sanguinea
Common dogwood | |
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Common dogwood | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Cornales |
Family: | Cornaceae |
Genus: | Cornus |
Subgenus: | Cornus subg. Kraniopsis
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Species: | C. sanguinea
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Binomial name | |
Cornus sanguinea | |
Distribution map | |
Synonyms | |
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Cornus sanguinea, the common dogwood or bloody dogwood,
Description
It is a medium to large
Ecology
It prefers moderate warmth in sunny places, though it can tolerate shade and in the more southern areas of its distribution area grows in the mountains. In cooler areas such as Scandinavia it grows at sea level.
It requires light, often alkaline soils. The species spreads by seeds and stolons. Its natural range covers most of Europe and western Asia. It is especially abundant in riversides, especially in shady areas and ravines. It grows in the margins of forests or unforested areas as woods in regeneration, prickly woodland fringes, with other thorny shrub species (for example, Clematis vitalba, Crataegus monogyna, Malus sylvestris, Prunus spinosa, Rubus idaeus or Rubus ulmifolius).
It reproduces by seed and root sprouts, which makes it effective at occupying areas of land and forming dense groves. Depending on circumstances, it can be invasive.
Uses
The leaves provide food for some animals, including
Garden varieties are often called "winter fire" because the leaves turn orange-yellow in autumn and then fall to reveal striking red winter stems.[4]
The straight woody shoots produced by the plant can be used as prods, skewers or arrows. The prehistoric archer known as
References
- ^ Lees, Edwin (1852). The Botany of Malvern Hills, in the counties of Worcester, Hereford, and Gloucester. London: David Bogue. p. 36.
- ISBN 9780521707725.
- ^ "Cornus sanguinea". Plants For A Future. 1996–2008. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ^ "Cornus sanguinea Midwinter Fire (Winter Beauty) - Dogwood". Gardening Express. 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ^ "Cornus sanguinea - Dogwood". First nature. 2018. Retrieved 2018-11-30.