Cornus x Stellar Pink® (Flowering Dogwood)

Cornus x Stellar Pink® (also called Cornus x 'Rutgan') is part of the hybrid dogwood series from Rutgers University's dogwood breeding program, cultivated to be more resistant to common dogwood pests and diseases such as dogwood borer, dogwood anthracnose, and powdery mildew. The Stellar Pink® cultivar is named for the large, cherry-blossom pink bracts that surround its true flowers, which are round, yellow-green, and non-descript. These large bracts give the plant its namesake 'flowering' appearance. In addition to its flowers and disease resistance, Cornus x Stellar Pink® is noted for its attractive, wine-red fall foliage, which adds a ton of multi-season interest.

'Rutgan' dogwood prefers well-drained, medium moisture soil in full sun to part-shade.  Growing to a mature size of 20-25' tall and about 15-20' wide, Stellar Pink® is an excellent early spring bloomer, providing a lot of appeal to early season pollinators. As a bonus, Cornus x 'Rutgan' is a sterile hybrid, and produces no fruit to drop and stain sidewalks or patios, though this may decrease its attractiveness to birds. Cornus x Stellar Pink® makes an excellent pick for specimen planting or as the centerpiece of a larger pollinator garden.