Cornus controversa Gosia - Giant Dogwood

Cornus controversa 'Gosia' is an alternate-leaved dogwood selection that is interesting for its superb variegated foliage and moderate growth. It charms with its remarkable silhouette, with tiered branches adorned with yellow, cream, green, and a hint of pink foliage. Its flat umbels of creamy, fragrant flowers further enhance its beauty, as do its small black berries. The foliage also takes on beautiful shades in autumn. Over time, with great elegance, it asserts its presence and deserves a place in the garden as a work of art.

Cornus controversa 'Gosia' is a horticultural selection. Its wild ancestor, the alternate-leaved dogwood, is a small tree native to China, Korea, and Japan. 'Gosia' has a similar habit, with regularly tiered branches: it develops a vertical stem and horizontal branches arranged in tiers, slowly reaching approximately 7m (23ft) in height with a spread of 4.50m. Its young reddish branches are covered with shiny, veined foliage. It is the only dogwood, along with Cornus alternifolia, to have leaves arranged alternately rather than opposite on the branches. They are elliptical, ovate, with a pointed tip, and have 6-8 parallel veins, measuring 10cm (3.9in) in length. The dominant colour is a light yellow to cream with light green variegation. The cream areas may have a hint of pink. The foliage turns reddish in October before falling. While it is magnificent at the end of the season, its flowering from May to June with flat white cymes is very ornamental. The large, fragrant clusters, measuring 10-15cm (3.9-5.9in) in diameter, illuminate the tree while highlighting its unique habit. The flowering is followed by the formation of 1cm (0.4in) diameter blackish-blue berries.

This 'Gosia' dogwood deserves to be planted as a specimen on a short grass meadow or in front of larger trees. Its moderate growth is well-suited to small gardens and medium-sized spaces. It can also be used in Japanese-style scenes where it will complement the dissected Japanese maple Acer palmatum 'Dissectum', Rhododendron 'Barbarella', or Pieris japonica 'Forest Flame'. The perennials that accompany it will also appreciate moist, slightly acidic soil. In sunny areas, its base can be covered with Lithodora diffusa, which offers intense blue flowers, and in partial shade, Heucheras and Astilbes will perfectly fulfill this function. In a more minimalist style, it can be used for its graphic qualities, in combination with very simple materials such as concrete or metal, as well as with medium-sized grasses.