Cornus sanguinea Compressa - Common Dogwood

Cornus sanguinea 'Compressa' is an unusual cultivar of dogwood with a narrow, upright, almost columnar habit and small, wavy foliage arranged in "scales" on its branches. This shrub displays stunning autumn colours, combining shades of purple, burgundy, and violet with a mauve glaze. In winter, the red of its young branches is a highlight. This variety rarely flowers. It will make a striking focal point in the centre of a perennial bed, as a specimen near an entrance or terrace.

Cornus sanguinea 'Compressa' is a rare and beautiful form of dogwood. Its wild ancestor, Cornus sanguinea, is a deciduous shrub from the cornaceae family, known by various names such as female cornel, white dogwood, sanguine, or Normandy olive tree, depending on the region. This species is native to a large part of Europe and eastern Asia. This highly adaptable and also ornamental plant has long attracted the attention of horticulturists who have selected varieties with more colourful young branches than those of the species.

With a rather slow growth rate, Cornus sanguinea 'Compressa' has an almost columnar habit supported by vertical branches. Over time, after many years, it will reach a height between 1.50 m and 2.50 m with a spread of less than 1.50 m, depending on the growing conditions and if it is not regularly pruned close to the ground. When pruned periodically, it grows less tall. This practice promotes the development of young branches, which are much more colourful than the old stems, displaying a dull burgundy red. In 'Compressa', the young branches are red. The closely clustered vertical stems have numerous shortened internodes. They bear small, (less than 4 cm long), thick, wrinkled, and deeply veined leaves. They are slightly shiny and have a dark bluish-green colour. In autumn, they turn burgundy red and purplish violet with a mauve hue. The leaves fall to the ground in winter, revealing underlying red young twigs and branches that provide winter interest. Flowering, when it occurs, takes place in May-June. The tiny, slightly fragrant white flowers are clustered in flattened corymbs at the tips of the young shoots. After pollination by insects, they give way to a few rare small round berries, initially green, then red, and finally becoming dark violet in summer. Birds enjoy these berries, thus dispersing the seeds.

The 'Compressa' dogwood is truly accommodating when it comes to soil and is as robust as it is decorative. It can be planted as a solitary specimen in the centre of a bed of perennials and medium-sized grasses such as Pennisetum and the small Panicum 'Sangria', or dwarf conifers. Its narrow and upright habit is perfect for small spaces. Its autumn colours blend beautifully with the flowering of asters, and its colourful wood brings life to the garden in winter. Let a small clematis (clematis for pots) climb on its branches; it will provide a lovely summer bloom while allowing the dogwood to fully express itself in autumn and winter.