# Ornamental origins and genomic frontiers: a review of big-bracted dogwood research

## TL;DR

This review summarizes current knowledge and research gaps in big-bracted dogwood species, focusing on their biology, commercial use, and genomic resources.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of phylogenetic, biogeographic, and genomic aspects of big-bracted dogwoods, highlighting research gaps and future directions.

## Key findings

- Big-bracted dogwoods are important ornamental plants with over 130 cultivars released.
- Phylogenetic and genomic research on these species remains limited despite their commercial significance.
- The review identifies key areas for future research, including pest resistance and breeding programs.

## Abstract

The big-bracted (Benthamidia) dogwood clade consists of small- to medium-sized deciduous trees within the genus Cornus, known for their showy spring-time floral bract display. Cornus is within the family Cornaceae and order Cornales, and as Cornales is one of the earliest diverging asterids, these taxa have been important for phylogenetic research. Three species within the big-bracted clade, flowering (Cornus florida), kousa (C. kousa), and Pacific (C. nuttallii) dogwoods, are popular ornamental landscape plants in North America, with more than 130 cultivars released. Despite their commercial popularity, numerous research gaps have limited the expansion of fundamental research and dogwood breeding programs. In this present review, we aim to provide a thorough overview of our current understanding of 1) the phylogenetic and biogeographic context, 2) plant biology and major pests and pathogens impacting commercialization, 3) historical commercialization and propagation methods, and 4) genetic and genomic resources and how they have been implemented to understand these species. Research gaps and future directions to advance basic research and breeding of big-bracted ornamental dogwoods are discussed throughout.