Cornus capitata

Dendrobenthamia capitata.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.

Dendrobenthamia capitata.<br>Photographer: Graeme La Cock, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.

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Common name

Strawberry dogwood

Synonyms

Dendrobenthamia capitata

Family

Cornaceae

Authority

Cornus capitata Wall. ex Roxb.

Flora category

Vascular – Exotic

Structural class

Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons

Conservation status

Not applicable

Habitat

Terrestrial.

Features

Small evergeen tree to about 6 m high. Stems hairy when young, becoming glabrous. Leaves opposite, to about 10 cm long on short petiole. Numerous pale yellow flowers. Fruit almost round 2-4 cm diameter, ripening to red.

Similar taxa

Is often mistaken for Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree) but is easily distinguished as C. capitata has opposite leaves lacking teeth, and the fruit is not spiky.

Flowering

December, January

Flower colours

Yellow

Fruiting

March, April

Year naturalised

1922

Origin

Himalayas to W. China

Etymology

capitata: From the Latin capitus ‘head’, with a knob-like head or tip

Reason For Introduction
Ornamental

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: Ogle, C. (Year at time of access): Cornus capitata Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/cornus-capitata/ (Date website was queried)

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