''Cornus controversa'' (wedding cake tree),
syn.
The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently.
* In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...
''Swida controversa'', is a
species of
flowering plant in the
genus ''
Cornus'' of the dogwood
family Cornaceae,
native to China, Korea, the Himalayas and Japan. It is a
deciduous tree growing to , with multiple tiered branches. Flat
panicle
A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...
s of white flowers (cymes to wide) appear in summer, followed by globose black fruit (drupes to ). Ovate dark green leaves ( long) are glaucous underneath and turn red-purple in autumn. It is cultivated in gardens and parks in
temperate regions.
It is also sometimes referred to as ''Bothrocaryum controversum'' when seeds are offered for online sale.
The variety ''C. controversa'' 'Variegata' has leaves with cream margins, which turn yellow in autumn, and grows to a lesser size than its parent – typically . It has gained the
Royal Horticultural Society's
Award of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions.
History
The Award of Garden Merit ...
.
Gallery
File:Cornus-controversa-habitus (cropped).jpg, ''Cornus controversa'', Kew Gardens, London
File:Cornus controversa 07-01-18 (cropped).jpg, ''Cornus controversa'' in May, Frankfurt
File:P1000347 Cornus controversa (Cornaceae).JPG, Fruit (drupes), Cambridge University Botanic Garden
File:Wzwz tree 07d Cornus controversa 'Variegata'.jpg, ''C. controversa'' 'Variegata', Moorbad Park, Germany
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q926249
controversa
Trees of China
Trees of Nepal
Plants described in 1909