Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
India, Nepal, China, Japan, Korea
Types
-
Cornus controversa
Number of Varieties
21
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-115-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm1,070.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
Burgundy, Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Light Yellow, Burgundy, Dark Red
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Requires regular watering during dry weather
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
-
Bacterial leaf spot, Canker, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Birds
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Used in parkland
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Antiphlogistic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Oil used in the lubricating and soap industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
CORNUS controversa
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Giant Dogwood, Wedding Cake Tree
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Wedding Cake Tree
In German
Red Cardinal
Hochzeitstorte Baum
In French
Cardinal rouge
Gâteau de mariage Arbre
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Pastel de bodas del árbol
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
Γαμήλια τούρτα Δέντρο
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
Árvore do bolo de casamento
In Polish
Red Cardinal
Wedding Cake Drzewo
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
MUSTACEUM ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Cornales
Family
Fabaceae
Cornaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Cornus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
Cornoideae
Number of Species
103
1
27800
👆🏻