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Botanical Name: Cornus x rutgersensis [Aurora®] ‘Rutban’
Common Name: Aurora hybrid dogwood
Nativity:
Location: Crosslands
Cornus x rutgersensis [Aurora®] ‘Rutban’, a hybrid of C. florida and C. kousa developed by Dr. Elwin Orton of Rutgers University, is noted for its vigorous habit and resistance to anthracnose and dogwood borer. Aurora® has a reputation as being a prolific bloomer with blossoms that literally blanket the tree in mid to late spring. The large, 4-inch, petal-like bracts surrounding the yellowish green flowers are pure white, velvety, and heavily textured. This sterile hybrid does not produce fruit. Dark green, oval to elliptic leaves turn attractive shades of reddish purple in fall. Habit is more spreading than other hybrid dogwoods in this series and after 20 years will usually reach about 20 to 25 feet tall and about as wide.