Cornus × haddenii J.Aldridge & S.Andrews

Incandescent autumnal colour on Cornus × haddenii 'Kenwyn Clapp'. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

'Conwy'

Selected by Tim and Rachel Lever from seedlings raised from a plant of ‘Norman Hadden’ growing at Aberconwy Nursery, North Wales (R. Lever, pers. comm. 2023; Aldridge 2024).

'Eric Gennet'

An Australian selection similar in appearance to ‘Norman Hadden’, named by Peter Gennet for his father, a plantsman who grew many rare and unusual plants at Gembrook, near Melbourne, Victoria. Autumn colour can be a rich red in cooler conditions, the foliage often colouring better than ‘Norman Hadden’ (D. Teese, pers. comm. 2025).

Pink-tinted involucres of Cornus × haddenii 'Eric Gennet'. Image Don Teese.

Pink-tinted involucres of Cornus × haddenii 'Eric Gennet' (The Patch, 14 December 2025). Image Don Teese.

'Gerry Mundey'

A seedling found in its namesake’s garden Tinney’s Firs in the New Forest, propagated and sold (misspelled as ‘Jerry Mundy’) by MacPenny’s Nursery, Dorset, for many years (Aldridge 2024).

'Gloria Birkett'

This selection originated in a batch of Cornus capitata seedlings raised by Mark Fillan (pers. comm. 2023) when working at Spinners Nursery, Hampshire. It was singled out by Kevin Hughes for its distinctive foliage, and subsequently found to flower prolifically, the large bracts ageing from cream to pink. It was named by the late nursery owner Peter Chappell for a close friend and customer (K. Hughes pers. comm. 2023; Aldridge 2024). Junker distinguish it from the other C. × haddenii hybrids by the relative lack of bronzing in the foliage (Junker Nursery 2018).

Cornus × haddenii 'Gloria Birkett' has formed a very shapely small tree here in a private garden near Wolverhampton, UK. 1 May 2026. Image Tom Christian.

Young bracts of Cornus × haddenii 'Gloria Birkett' (Spinners, Hampshire; 18 May 2011). Image John Anderson.

Creamy-yellow expanding bracts of Cornus × haddenii 'Gloria Birkett' showing the influence of the C. capitata parent. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Attractively regular involucres of Cornus × haddenii 'Gloria Birkett' (late June 2021). Image Jack Aldridge.

As in some forms of Cornus kousa, the bracts on the white-bracted Cornus × haddenii 'Gloria Birkett' develop striking pink pigmentation as the season progresses, seen here in mid July 2021. Image Jack Aldridge.

Fruits of Cornus × haddenii 'Gloria Birkett'. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Cornus × haddenii 'Gloria Birkett' with white bracts (late June 2021). Image Jack Aldridge.

The same tree seen at a later stage in mid July, the bracts having matured to pink. Image Jack Aldridge.

'Kenwyn Clapp'

Attractive pink-flushed foliage, echoed in the pink bracts, originally found in a private garden of the camellia expert Kenwyn Clapp, near Plymouth, and propagated by Junker’s Nursery, Somerset – a good specimen can be seen at Kiftsgate Court Gardens, Gloucestershire (Junker Nursery 2018; Aldridge 2024; K. Junker, pers. comm. 2023).

Rose-pink bracts of Cornus × haddenii 'Kenwyn Clapp'. Image Jack Aldridge.

Rose-pink bracts of Cornus × haddenii 'Kenwyn Clapp' (4 June 2024). Image Jack Aldridge.

Red-clushed young foliage of Cornus × haddenii 'Kenwyn Clapp'. Image Jack Aldridge.

The gracefully ascending habit of Cornus × haddenii 'Kenwyn Clapp'. Image Jack Aldridge.

Cornus × haddenii 'Kenwyn Clapp' in autumn. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Cornus × haddenii 'Kenwyn Clapp' in autumn. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Differential bract pigmentation in Cornus × haddenii 'Kenwyn Clapp'. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Norman Hadden Group

White bracts maturing to deep pink, often followed by heavy crops of fruit in favourable locations. This group includes two clones, ‘Norman Hadden’ and ‘Porlock’, discovered as spontaneous seedlings of unidentified parentage at Underway, the garden of the late Norman Hadden (1888–1971) in West Porlock, Somerset. The two originated about a decade apart. ‘Porlock’ was found in 1958, initially assumed to be a cross between C. kousa and C. nuttallii before the semi-evergreen habit betrayed the more likely parentage (Andrews 1990). ‘Norman Hadden’ originated in the late 1960s, the original plant having quickly been removed to Knightshayes, Devon. Hadden’s plants are represented in particularly well preserved herbarium specimens (digitised) at RHS Wisley.

The two clones are very similar (in fact all but indistinguishable), and have become muddled in cultivation as the consequence of an early mislabelling of the ‘Porlock’ clone at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum and at Rosemoor, a mix-up which has disseminated widely throughout the trade (Andrews 1990). Accurate ascription of plants to one or other of the cultivars is thus practically impossible. Tellingly, even the most thorough and informative account of the two plants’ origins does not attempt to give distinguishing criteria beyond provenance (Andrews 1990). The evergreen character is said to be expressed perhaps more strongly in ‘Norman Hadden’, which is said anecdotally to hold its leaves better through British winters (Junker Nursery 2023), but this is the only substantive distinction drawn in the literature, and even that is subject to countless variables.

In view of this situation, we refer both clones to Norman Hadden Group, though no doubt some growers will continue to identify their plants as one or other of the clones (really only possible where an unimpeachable Knightshayes provenance confirms ‘Norman Hadden’).

Material from this group was introduced to Australia from Hillier Nurseries, UK by Yamina Rare Plants, the original introduction having attained a height of 14 m (D. Teese, pers. comm. 2025).

Fresh, light green young foliage of Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group (RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon, UK; 28 May 2021). Image Julian Sutton.

Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group in full flower (Jardin du Vastérival, France; late June 2022). Image James Garnett.

Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group (grown as 'Porlock') sourced from Spinners' Nursery, Hampshire, UK (Acc. 00374, Wespelaar Arboretum, Haacht, Belgium; 30 May 2015). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Fruit of Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group (grown as 'Norman Hadden') (The Garden House, Buckland Monachorum, Devon, UK; 29 October 2021). Image Julian Sutton.

A heavy crop of fruit on Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group (grown as 'Norman Hadden') (The Garden House, Buckland Monachorum, Devon, UK; 29 October 2021). Image Julian Sutton.

Snow in summer: Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group (Jardin du Vastérival, France; late June 2022). Image James Garnett.

Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group in full flower. This tree, approaching 14 m in height, was planted by Simon Wills in a sheltered spot at The Manor, Walton-in-Gordano, Somerset, UK (14 June 2024). This vigorous specimen is labelled 'Porlock'. Image Owen Johnson.

Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group (labelled 'Porlock') heavily laden (Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, 26 October 1996). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group, sourced as 'Porlock' from Spinners' Nursery, Hampshire, UK (Acc. 00374, Wespelaar Arboretum, Haacht, Belgium; 20 June 2020). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Cornus × haddenii Norman Hadden Group, grown as 'Norman Hadden' by Junker's Nursery (27 June 2022). Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

'Soleil Rouge'

Possibly the most intensely pigmented of all the Cornus × haddenii cultivars, the large bracts turning from salmon-pink to a saturated red-pink in optimum conditions. The rich colouring is attributable to the pink C. kousa ‘Miss Satomi’ parent, as is the excellent, reliable autumn foliage colour. The tree is vigorous with a tidy, upright habit, hardy to –20°C. A relatively recent selection, it was named by Alexis & Liliane Le Duigou of the Jardins de Treuscoat, Brittany and is now being distributed in France by Pépinières Minier, under Plant Breeders Rights (EU 20203161) (Aldridge 2024, Sapho 2026).

Rich pink involucres of Cornus × haddenii 'Soleil Rouge' (5 July 2016). Image © Liliane Le Duigou.

Leaves of Cornus × haddenii 'Soleil Rouge' beginning to colour (18 October 2016). Image © Liliane Le Duigou.

Cornus × haddenii 'Soleil Rouge' showing its attractive habit and autumnal foliage colour (18 October 2016). Image © Liliane Le Duigou.

The autumnal display of Cornus × haddenii 'Soleil Rouge' in full swing (3 November 2016). Image © Liliane Le Duigou.