Cornus Capitata Himalayan Dogwood

Cornus Capitata is an evergreen dogwood that grows into a small tree with beautiful white-yellow flowerheads surrounded by showy white bracts and grey-green foliage. It suits a warm, sheltered sunny spot.

This dogwood tree is native to low-elevation woodlands in the Himalayan mountain range from India to Nepal and China, hence its more common name is Himalayan dogwood. This species is beautiful when given a mild protected garden space. It has a strong trunk and spreading branches that hold its grey-green evergreen leaves year-round. The leaves reach 12 cm long and have a tactile fuzzy underside.

In June and July it reliably blooms pretty creamy-white and yellow flower bracts that mature into large arbutus-like fruits. They are edible but bitter.

This is a lovely specimen small tree and fills the back of the border spot with year-round colour.

Height And Spread of Cornus Capitata
Himalayan dogwood reaches a maximum height of 12 metres and spreads across 8 metres in 10-20 years.

How Hardy is Cornus Capitata
This is a hardy Himalayan dogwood tree that can cope with below zero temperatures but prefers a warm position to flower and fruit well. It’s rarely affected by pests and is drought tolerant once established.

How To Use Cornus Capitata
Use Himalayan dogwood as a specimen tree in the lawn, in a cottage-style garden border, or any low-maintenance wildlife-friendly space. Even though they are bitter, birds enjoy the strawberry-like fruits. Cornus Capitata enjoys the warmth of a sheltered urban courtyard too.

How To Care For Cornus Capitata
This dogwood tree prefers fertile humus-rich soil with a neutral to acid leaning. Warmth is needed to bloom and fruit, so full sun or partial shade is best.
Once planted, it’s important to give it lots of water. Lack of water is the number one killer of newly planted shrubs and trees. Fill the planting hole with plenty of well-rotted organic matter and add organic mulch to the roots once a year in spring.
Pruning isn’t required because it naturally forms a well-branched framework, but you can remove wayward branches in spring before the new growth appears.