Cornus Rutgersensis Stellar Pink

Cornus Stellar Pink is an extremely popular flowering dogwood hybrid producing masses of very attractive overlapping pink flowers (bracts) in summer, brilliant foliage colour in autumn, all while maintaining tidy upright growth habit and having desease resistant properties. 

This deciduous tree known botanically as Cornus Rutgersensis Stellar Pink  is one of the Stellar series of dogwoods bred in the USA by renowned Prof. Orton as a hybrid of Cornus Florida and Cornus Kousa. He set about producing a series of disease-resistant hybrids in order combat the problem of disease and insect blight which plagued the Cornus Florida dogwoods in 1970s USA. Stellar Pink is among the several successful results of the meticulous breeding program and has since become a global bestseller. Stellar Pink, sometimes referred to as Cornus Rutgersensis Rutgan, produces an abundance of pale to deeper pink flower bracts in summer. These showy bracts are quite large measuring up to 10 centimetres with four bracts surrounding each tiny green flower. 
Like its cousin Conus Aurora, another hybrid dogwood from the Stellar Series, Stellar Pink has overlapping flower bracts for extra showy appeal. During summer, its flower bracts can get so numerous they completely cover the foliage. Large dark green foliage emerges in spring turning vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red in autumn.

This is a hardy ornamental tree that is exremely attractive in summer and autumn. 

Height And Spread of Cornus Stellar Pink
Dogwood Stellar Pink is a compact and upright tree with dense foliage and a vigorous growth habit. It’ll reach a maximum height and spread of eight metres over 20 years.

How Hardy Is Cornus Stellar Pink
This dogwood was bred for hardiness and is hardy enough to withstand UK winters down to freezing temperatures if its roots are well drained.

How To Use Cornus Stellar Pink
It’s maneagable size and abundance of pretty flowers makes Cornus Rutgersensis Stellar Pink a good architectural statement tree for compact urban courtyards and front gardens. It suits mixed borders and the RHS have awarded it the Plants for Pollinators badge due to its bee-magnet flowers.
Pair it with other flowering dogwoods in low maintenance woodland gardens for a summertime festival of blooms for very little effort.
It makes an ideal landscape tree.  

How To Care For Cornus Stellar Pink
Cornus Rutgersensis Stellar Pink is easy to grow and needs little care once it’s established.
Choose a moist but well-drained position in full sun to partial shade. It can tolerate exposed areas, but the flower display is greater in a sheltered spot. It’s not fussy about soil type as long as it’s well drained.
There’s no need to prune, but you can remove wayward branches after flowering if it’s required.  Apply a thick layer of organic mulch to its roots in early spring and water well until you can see new growth.