Rough-leaf Dogwood By Kaelan Firth and Colin Rockwell

The Rough-leaf Dogwood Basic Facts:  The shrub can be trimmed into a small tree.  It grows small, white fruit for over 40 species of birds, making it an essential part of a landscape.  It can grow in shade or the sun, but the fruit is much riper in sunlight.  Its full height is 16 by 16 feet, but its mature height is about 14 by 13 ft.  Its scientific name is ‘Cornus drummondii.’

Soil requirements:  This plant grows in any normal alkaline soil, which is made out of sulfur and lime  Alkaline soil has a pH of 7.0  In chemistry, pH is a measure of the activity of the hydrogen ion.  Alkaline literally means “basic”.

Weak spots:  Weevils, sawfly, aphids, leafhoppers, and thrips are some weaknesses of the dogwood. Fortunately, only aphids and weevils exist around these parts of Michigan.

Winter, spring, fall and summer  In the fall (top left), the leaves do change colors, but the flowers remain the same. In the winter, the flowers and the fruit fall off.  In the spring (bottom left), its leaves are fresh and its flowers are a normal white color. It looks the exact same as it does in the summer.

Reproduction:  In order to reproduce, the flowers on the Rough-leaf dogwood spread seeds using the wind. One seed grows into one shrub.

Recommendations:  Rough-leaf Dogwoods are known for steading all types of nearby streams also and evaluating nearby wild life around it, so it would best fit close to a lake, pond or any other waterbed.  They’re also known for the fruit, which can attract up to 40 types of species of birds, making it helpful for the landscape. Planting it in an area where birds can be found is very helpful.  If it is put in alkaline soil and if all local bugs are kept away from it, the Rough-leaf Dogwood shrub will lead a steady lifespan.  Sun doesn’t matter too much for the plant, but it is preferred so the flowers and fruit can grow to become fresh.

The End Bibliography: May, C. A. "Cornus Drummondii Fact Sheet." Cornus Drummondii Fact Sheet. Virginia Technology College, Web. 25 Jan "How to Lower Your Soil PH." How to Lower Soil PH: Organic Gardening Web. 11 Jan "Native Plant Database." Cornus Drummondii (Roughleaf Dogwood). Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Web. 11 Jan "Texas Native Plants Database." Texas Native Plants Database. USDA, n.d. Web. 11 Jan Gilman, Edward F. "Roughleaf Dogwood." Hort.ufl.edu. Cornus Drummondii, Nov Web. 25 Jan