Friedlander’s Dogwood: A Rare Native Shrub Worth Knowing About
Meet Cornus ×friedlanderi, commonly known as Friedlander’s dogwood—one of those fascinating native plants that most gardeners have never heard of, and for good reason. This Michigan native is so uncommon that finding reliable information about it feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. But that’s exactly what makes it intriguing for native plant enthusiasts who love a good botanical mystery.
What Makes This Dogwood Special?
The × in its scientific name tells us this is a hybrid—a natural cross between two dogwood species. Like a botanical love child, Friedlander’s dogwood represents nature’s own plant breeding experiment. It’s officially recognized as native to the lower 48 states, though its known distribution appears to be quite limited.
Where You’ll Find It (Spoiler: Probably Nowhere)
Currently, Cornus ×friedlanderi is documented only in Michigan, making it about as exclusive as a VIP botanical club. This extremely limited range suggests it’s either incredibly rare or perhaps underreported in botanical surveys.
Growth Habits and Appearance
As a perennial shrub, Friedlander’s dogwood follows the typical dogwood playbook:
- Multi-stemmed growth habit with several stems arising from or near the ground
- Typically reaches 13-16 feet in height, though environmental conditions can influence its final size
- Woody structure that persists year-round
Beyond these basic characteristics, specific details about its appearance, flowering, and seasonal changes remain largely undocumented in readily available sources.
Should You Plant Friedlander’s Dogwood?
Here’s where things get tricky. While this native dogwood isn’t listed as invasive or noxious, its apparent rarity raises some important considerations:
The Reality Check: You probably can’t find this plant at your local nursery—or any nursery, for that matter. Its extreme rarity means it’s not commercially available, and even if you could locate it, responsible sourcing would be essential to avoid impacting wild populations.
The Better Alternatives: Michigan gardeners looking for native dogwoods have several excellent options that are both available and well-documented:
- Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
- Red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)
- Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
- Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Growing Conditions (Our Best Guess)
Since specific growing requirements for Cornus ×friedlanderi aren’t well-documented, we can make educated guesses based on other Michigan native dogwoods:
- Likely prefers partial shade to full sun
- Probably adaptable to various soil types
- May tolerate wet to moderately dry conditions
- Cold-hardy in Michigan’s climate zones
However, these are assumptions—the actual preferences of this hybrid could be quite different from its parent species.
Wildlife and Pollinator Value
While we don’t have specific data on the wildlife benefits of Friedlander’s dogwood, most native dogwoods are valuable for:
- Supporting native insects and their larvae
- Providing berries for birds (if it produces them)
- Offering nesting sites and cover
But again, without specific studies on this hybrid, we’re making educated guesses.
The Bottom Line
Cornus ×friedlanderi represents one of those intriguing botanical mysteries that reminds us how much we still don’t know about our native flora. While it’s fascinating from a scientific perspective, it’s not a practical choice for most gardeners.
If you’re passionate about supporting Michigan’s native plant diversity, focus on the readily available native dogwoods that we know provide proven benefits to local ecosystems. These well-studied species offer the wildlife value and garden performance you’re looking for, plus they won’t require you to become a botanical detective just to grow them successfully.
Sometimes the most responsible thing we can do for rare native plants is appreciate them from afar while cultivating their more common cousins in our gardens.
