Cornus controversa Seeds | Wedding Cake Tree
LATIN NAME: Cornus controversa
COMMON NAME: Wedding Cake Tree
Plant Profile
Cornus controversa, commonly known as Wedding Cake Tree, is a graceful, deciduous tree in the dogwood family. Growth is steadily, plant forming a rounded crown that reaches 5-10 metres. It is content in sun or light shade and rich, moist ground. Pollinating insects take to the flowers at once, adding a little wildlife interest to its garden value. Not many plants ask so little and repay so much.
Science & Biotechnology
Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Cornus controversa, a representative of the dogwood family with clear practical value. Tree has also been studied in botany, since it is a member of dogwood family, and researchers have examined its classification and its relationships with other dogwoods, while family is of interest for its diversity. For practical purposes the message is encouraging: generations of cultivation have produced plants of predictable, well-mannered garden character.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Wedding Cake Tree for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Ecologically, giant dogwood is a generous tree of garden and the forest. Its flat heads of creamy flowers feed bees and other insects, its dark blue fruits feed birds, and its layered branches give shelter, while it is a graceful presence in forests of its native range. Its economic value lies mainly in horticulture. It takes hold quickly and asks for no special treatment from then on.
Cornelian cherry fruits, Shan Zhu Yu, are a classical Chinese astringent tonic herb and a tart, vitamin-rich fruit for preserves; the genus’s iridoid glycosides, loganin and morroniside, are studied for kidney-protective effects.
Growing from Seed
Raising Wedding Cake Tree from seed is straightforward. Sow thinly on the surface of a loose, well-drained seed compost, cover lightly, water in gently and keep the tray in a sunny spot with even moisture. A spell of cool, moist conditions ahead of sowing brings the seed along nicely and supports even germination. Prick the seedlings out once they are large enough to handle, grow them on in bright light, and plant out when conditions allow.
Our Take
Wedding Cake Tree is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Wedding Cake Tree has real presence in the garden without demanding much in return. A few weeks of cold, moist stratification before sowing mirrors its natural cycle.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Wedding Cake Tree often pair it with these related subjects: