Plant Finder

Other Names:  Cornus alba 'Aurea'

Description:

A colorful and extremely hardy accent shrub with bright golden foliage that fades to a softer yellow with the summer heat, brilliant red fall color and flaming orange-red stems in winter; very versatile from a landscape perspective and quite carefree

Ornamental Features

Prairie Fire Dogwood has attractive chartreuse deciduous foliage which emerges gold in spring on a plant with a round habit of growth. The pointy leaves are highly ornamental and turn an outstanding red in the fall. It has clusters of creamy white flowers at the ends of the branches in late spring. It produces white berries in mid summer. The tomato-orange branches are extremely showy and add significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Prairie Fire Dogwood is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Prairie Fire Dogwood is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Prairie Fire Dogwood will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is an amazingly adaptable plant, tolerating both dry conditions and even some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.