Cornus nuttallii Gold Spot

Cornus nuttallii Gold Spot is a horticultural variety of the Pacific Dogwood, recognisable by its variegated foliage and size. It forms a large bush or sometimes even a small tree with refined looks. Its oval leaves are green, widely variegated with yellow, giving it a bright appearance throughout the growing season. From May, large white inflorescences composed of bracts that surround a green heart of small flowers appear. It thrives in non-limestone soil, from neutral to acidic, and in moist conditions, in sunny to semi-shaded exposures. It is quite hardy and it makes beautiful specimens worthy of being planted individually or associated in a large group or a grove of bushes.

Cornus nuttallii belongs to the Cornaceae family, to which it has given its name. The other most well-known representatives are Nyssa and Davidia, while other genera grow in subtropical to tropical zones. It is native to coastal regions ranging from southern British Columbia to the mountains of southern California, where it mainly grows along watercourses, in mixed forests of conifers or deciduous trees, at low altitudes. It is also found on moist slopes, at altitudes between 3000 m and 5000 m.
The cultivar Gold Spot is a horticultural selection with variegated foliage. Slightly smaller in size than the species, which reaches about twelve metres in our climates, it still forms a bush of respectable size, about 8 m high and almost as wide. By selecting a main axis and pruning it, it is also possible to train it as a tree.
Its natural habit is conical to pyramidal, formed by a crown of lateral branches that become shorter towards the top. Its fairly dense branching bears oval leaves measuring 6 to 12 cm in length, a deep green mixed with yellow. In some leaves, spaces between the veins are partly marbled with yellow, while others have a majority of the leaf surface occupied by this colour. This irregular variegation gives a particularly bright visual effect, especially when the bush is planted in semi-shade.
From June in cool regions, and as early as May in mild climates, clusters of small green flowers form. They are grouped in clusters (glomerules) and are surrounded by 6 pure white bracts reaching 5-7 cm, similar to petals. Its cousin Cornus florida produces inflorescences with only 4 bracts, which allows them to be easily distinguished. The bracts can be of uniform size or irregular, with some narrow and others well spread out. This flowering is more abundant if temperatures are high in summer and is followed in September-October by scattered, light red to orange, inedible fruits, measuring 1 cm in diameter.
The deciduous foliage takes on beautiful autumn colours, turning yellow, orange, and red, with some persistent green at first, before falling to the ground. Note that this species is quite sensitive to dogwood anthracnose under stressful conditions. The flower of this tree is the emblem of the Canadian province of British Columbia.
This bush is hardy to about -17°C and grows in non-limestone, moist soils, in full sun or semi-shade. Its relatively shallow root system requires regular moisture and is sensitive to drought. Its ornamental interest throughout the growing season justifies planting it individually on a lawn, and it can also be integrated into a large mixed border, in the background.

Cornus nuttallii Gold Spot is a superb plant worthy of gardens that are large enough to accommodate it. It is better suited to humid climates, which still experience fairly hot summers. It can be associated with other plants with staggered flowering periods to enjoy flowers all year round. In winter, Hamamelis will provide a spectacle with their surprising spider-like inflorescences, in yellow, red, orange, or purple. In March, the early flowering of Magnolia denudata Festirose in the shape of a tulip in a charming soft pink will take over. Then the countless varieties of Rhododendron will precede and accompany the dogwood flowering, creating sumptuous colour combinations. Add a few Hydrangeas for the summer, and some Autumn Camellias, and you have a flower bed blooming for 12 months of the year that will enchant your garden!