Carpet dogwood - a flowering and densely growing ground cover

Carpet dogwood - a flowering and densely growing ground cover

Winter hardy and blooming dwarf shrub

The carpet dogwood, which is (still) seldom found in our latitudes, but very robust and hardy carpet dogwood, looks exceptionally pretty. The plant is evergreen, with the foliage often turning reddish-orange in the cold season. The four white petals on a greenish head appear in the months of May to June, and red, very attractive ornamental berries have developed from them by autumn. However, these are not suitable for human consumption. Cornus canadensis spreads very quickly via root runners.

also read

  • Planting dogwood properly
  • Most dogwoods thrive in a spot with light partial shade
  • Dogwood blooms in late spring

Properly care for and plant carpet dogwood

In nature, the carpet dogwood grows preferentially in light mixed and coniferous forests with slightly acidic, moist soils. With us you can cultivate the ground cover both as underplanting for woody plants, but also as a border or border of beds and as a container plant.

Carpet dogwood also tolerates shady locations

Although the carpet dogwood prefers bright locations, it feels very comfortable - provided the ground is moist enough - also in partially shaded to shady places. Due to the slightly acidic soil, the plant is particularly suitable for planting in heather or bog gardens, because Cornus canadensis loves slightly acidic, moist and humus-free substrates. Basically, however, the ground cover grows on all soils as long as they do not contain lime - the plant does not tolerate calcareous soil at all.

Do not remove leaves

There are no other care instructions for the carpet dogwood, except for the following:

  • If it is hot and dry, the carpet dogwood should be watered. The plant has a high need for moisture.
  • This rule applies in particular to potted plants, which naturally cannot supply themselves with the precious liquid.
  • Mulching can also be useful.
  • The carpet dogwood is basically evergreen, but only in mild winters.
  • Furthermore, you should not remove the leaves of the carpet dogwood, because valuable humus forms from it.

Tips

You need between six and eight plants per square meter of soil to be planted. Before planting, the soil should be loosened well and upgraded with compost.