Cornus controversa Troja Dwarf - Giant Dogwood

The Cornus controversa Troja Dwarf is a dwarf form of the Pagoda Dogwood. This low-growing shrub, wider than it is tall, is well-suited for planting in small gardens. Its low silhouette is adorned with beautiful dark green foliage, which serves as a backdrop for the creamy white spring flowering. The small flowers, grouped in inflorescences about ten centimetres in diameter, bloom in June and later produce small blue-black fruits, which are relatively decorative in late summer. In autumn, the foliage takes on lovely purple colours before falling. An uncommon shrub, it can be integrated into a sunny or partially shaded flower bed, in moist soil that is non-calcareous or only slightly so.

The Dogwood belongs to the small family of Cornaceae, which, after several revisions of botanical classification, now only includes the genera Cornus and Alangium. There are several dozen species of Dogwoods, most of which are shrubs. However, in its natural habitat, Cornus controversa, native to China, Korea, and Japan, forms a tree that can reach up to 12 metres in height. It has a straight trunk and horizontal layers of vegetation, and it is the only species - along with C. alternifolia - to have alternate leaves, rather than opposite leaves. In Japan, it can be found at altitudes of up to 2600 metres, which demonstrates its good hardiness.
Troja Dwarf is a much more compact variety than the species, forming a low, tabular-shaped shrub. Its mature dimensions are not yet well-known, as it is very rare in gardens, but after 10 years of growth, it generally reaches a height of 1.5 metres with a spread of 2 metres, which is significantly smaller than other horticultural varieties. However, its other characteristics are quite typical of this group of plants. It has beautiful, fairly dark green foliage, with ovate to elliptical leaves that come to a point and have visible veins. These leaves are borne on flexible petioles, which allow them to gracefully droop. This dark background provides a beautiful setting for the spring flowering that occurs in June. The plant becomes covered in inflorescences measuring 10 to 12 cm in diameter, called cymes, with a slightly rounded top, and cream-white in colour. These inflorescences consist of numerous slightly fragrant small flowers. They then develop into small spherical fruits that turn blue-black from August onwards, and are relatively decorative. Like other varieties, this Dogwood displays interesting autumnal colours, ranging from purples, which add beauty to the end of the season.

A dwarf variation of its wild parent, this small Dogwood will find a place even in the most intimate gardens. It will be difficult for enthusiasts to identify it, as its distribution is confidential. It will be perfect in a mixed flower bed, in the second row behind a border of perennials or shrubs, such as Persicaria amplexicaulis Golden Arrow, a Knotweed with golden foliage that forms a magnificent contrast with the dark green of your Dogwood. In addition, its long flowering period from July to September, with reddish-violet spikes, extends the flowering season of your scene. To enjoy earlier flowers in the season, opt for the Rhododendron yakushimanum, a group of small shrubs that only reach approximately 1 metre in height, and come in various colours, from white to red, including pink and yellow. And for the summer, a beautiful Hydrangea aspera Macrophylla planted slightly further back will harmonise perfectly with the natural appearance of your Dogwood. This Hydrangea, which is not planted enough, has large hairy leaves and produces large umbels in summer, consisting of a dark purple centre of fertile flowers, surrounded by pale mauve sterile florets.