There is no doubt that the flowering dogwoods are among the most beautiful ornamental trees and shrubs. Gerd Krüssmann, co-founder of the IDS, once wrote that if he had to decide to grow just one species of the large-bracted dogwoods, his choice probably would be Cornus nuttallii as he considered it the most beautiful plant. In those days Cornus ‘KN30-8’ Venus® did not exist.