The following was received via email: Please give me details on Eddie's White Wonder, in particular height and spread, flowering, disease susceptibility. A photograph would be much appreciated Many thanks. Ken
Hey Ken, I don't know much about the plant but here is a link from an online catalog with a nice image.
I think that cornus EWW was originated by Eddies nursery in West Van in the 1960's in response to the disease that was (I guess by now has) killing the native BC dogwood. Can anyone confirm or refute that? Ralph
Record, Excerpt, Awards Originated by H. Eddie in 1945, in production about 10 years later. US Plant Patent 2413 bestowed in 1964. Perhaps USPTO web site has the full detailed description provided by applicant. If interested, after bringing up the UPSTO site look for the Plant Patent Number Search and use that to find the document. Density, overall shape, fall color and profusion of flowerheads with overlapping bracts all add up to an appealing tree. Disease resistance partial. I've heard the Cornus florida Eddie used was pink, with many of the resulting hybrid seedlings blooming out pink when old enough. Unfortunately, nearly all were lost in a flood, except for the one that became 'Eddie's White Wonder' PP 2413. Maybe somebody else can confirm, modify or deny this account. One at the Snohomish County Arboretum (Rhody Ridge County Park), Lynnwood, WA was 33' x 1'9" x 21' in 1993. The 2002 edition of the Hillier Manual of Trees & Shrubs calls it "superb", says it's "Highly praised by its American[!] raisers", and that "this splendid plant has proved itself to be a first-rate ornamental in Britain". Awarded an Award of Merit and Cory Cup in 1972, a First Class Certificate in 1977, and an Award of Garden Merit - their highest accolade - by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
Henry M. Eddie's original cross(s?) may have been done in the late 1930's. The flood which wiped out his nursery stock in the Frazier river Delta occured in 1948. All existing clones of 'Eddie's White Wonder' were apparently derived from a tree growing in Mr. Eddies Own South Vancouver garden, however, the oldest existing tree in existence according to the patent application dates to about 1951. The Pollen parent listed is Cornus florida 'Rubra'. Mr. Eddie is also credited with discovering Cornus nuttallii 'Gold Spot' growing in Chilliwack.
For years there was a specimen on the north side of the Eddie property, near an 'Eddie's Crimson'/'Eddie's Jewel' rose. The house and garden were in the tip created where SW Marine Drive and ? Street merge, not far east of start of UBC Endowment Lands. As I remember it the dogwood was surely too young and small to be the original seedling, but perhaps not. Awhile back the property was redeveloped.
Update I just thought I'd update this based on information provided on another thread: Cornus X 'Eddie's White Wonder' PP 2413 June 23, 1964 The result of a controlled cross of C. nuttallii and C. florida 'Rubra' done by British Columbia nurseryman and rosarian Henry Matheson Eddie (1881-1953). Although some sources date this hybrid to 1945 or later, Dr. Gerald Straley ("Trees of Vancouver" 1992) noted that the original crosses were done during the late 1930's and 1940's. "The crosses involved both white and pink Eastern Dogwood (Cornus florida) and our native Western Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii). Most of the seedlings were lost to a flood in 1947 in the Fraser Valley, but one of the best seedlings had been moved to Richmond and this is the one from which all of the 'Eddie's White Wonder' have been propagated... One of the original seedlings is in the garden of the hybridizer's son on the corner of sw Marine Dr and 41st Ave." This seedling may be one that was reportedly moved to the Van Duesen Botanical Garden in 1994. The fate of the original seedling is unclear, since, according to the patent information filed by J. Henry Eddie in late 1962, "No mature specimens of the present tree exist, but a study and comparison of the oldest specimen, twelve years of age in 1963... The twelve year old specimen is about 14 feet in height." The patent information refers specifically to three asexually produced specimens; in Sardis, B.C. (presumably growing at the H.M. Eddie & Sons Nursery there), at Mentor, Ohio (at the Wayside Gardens site), and at The Arnold Arboretum in Boston Massachusetts.
We moved to Vancouver, BC in late August 1968 and vividly remember being amazed by the beauty of the flowering dogwoods all over the City and at UBC. We have lived since 1974 not far from the garden of Henry M. Eddie on the South slope of Vancouver and have a large, mature (probably native) dogwood in our South facing garden which in 1974 seemed to be in good health, flowering copiously in the spring and the fall. However, soon after, we started noticing the ANTHRACNOSE fungus attacking the leaves leading to rust colored leaves littering the lawn well before the time the tree would normally drop the leaves in the fall. Then one winter, a large branch broke off due to a heavy snowfall. This weakened the tree quite a bit and resulted in about half the trunk with it a good part of the crown dying and the rest of the foliage suffering noticeably from the fungus. The winter 2008/2009 was very harsh and to our surprise, the fungus kill of leaves in the following summer was markedly reduced. On the recommendation of our gardener, we just purchased two 8ft+ "WHITE WONDER" nursery trees to eventually replace the old tree. We will soon see if indeed Eddie's White Wonder is indeed partially disease resistance as mentioned in one of the earlier posts and by our gardener. The place we want to plant the new trees is in close proximity to the old one and will obviously get a good dose of fungus spores from the old tree. Spraying may be possible as long as they are still small, but I'm not sure which pesticides are effective against ANTHRACNOSE and legal in Vancouver . Does anybody in Vancouver have similar experience with his dogwood and can comment on this???
It is my own observation that the Eddie hybrid is resistant but not, by any means immune. Now we have more recent Orton hybrids on the market, such as this one: http://agproducts.rutgers.edu/venus.html
Yes, I purchased the Orton hybrid 'Venus' from a local mail order nursery several years ago, and so far it appears to be a much better performer here for me than the other Rutgers hybrids. 'Eddies White Wonder' continues to thrive here as well, even under the "tough love" conditions that I've given it.
Two years ago we planted two 7ft tall Eddie's White Wonder dogwoods in our garden in a semi-shaded location near a mature native dogwood which had suffered quite a bit from fungus So far, we are somewhat disappointed with the two new trees - none of them has had a single flower yet and the leaves look quite distressed & wrinkled - maybe the anthracnose is getting to them :( As Ron B stated in his earlier postings , Eddie hybrid is fungus resistant but not, by any means immune.....
Just in case, have you had a chance to see how the tree at Snohomish County Arboretum doing recently? Is it still there? How tall has grown to? What is roughly the tallest ‘Eddie’s White Wonder’ you’ve seen in coastal BC?
One of the two trees mentioned in my previous post completely died this very dry summer, even though it had been watered - The other one is growing very slowly and has only had very few bracts - very disappointing - would not recommend this species to anyone. Whoever came came up with the name, I wonder (excuse the pun LOL). And it even was granted a patent There seem to be some much better disease resistant species out there as can be seen on some street boulevards planted by the City of Vancouver
I realize this is an old ongoing thread - and it's very interesting - I was curious about Mr Eddie's work and came across this short yet informative article on the Chilliwack Museum website (Chilliwack BC - in the Fraser Valley of BC, east of Vancouver and north of Lynden WA USA.) The Curatorial Corner: The Rose King of Canada
It seems obvious to me that planting any dogwood species or cultivar near one that has "suffered quite a bit from fungus" is asking for trouble. Then, to disparage the resistant cultivar (Cornus 'Eddie's White Wonder') for not 'resisting' just adds insult to injury. Blaming the victim. To say "it was even granted a patent" is insulting and ignorant.
Thanks Margot for pointing out my ignorance. I suggest you visit the following website which says the following about Eddie's White Wonder (Cornus nuttallii × Cornus florida) UFEI - SelecTree: A Tree Selection Guide Pests & Disease Information: Resistant to Verticillium. Susceptible to Beetle Borers and Scales, Anthracnose, Phytophthora and Root Rot. so much for resistance to the fungus that is ravaging the native dogwood (nutallii) PS Our surviving Eddie's White wonder has blossomed first time this year. We are replacing the one that died with a Cornus Hyperion - time will tell how it does near our very old native dogwood (nutallii) which has actually recovered quite a bit.
Ulf, As far as I know Eddies White Wonder was not developed or selected for Anthracnose disease resistance. This disease did not become a significant and widespread problem in the lower mainland until the late 1970's and the hybridizing work that led to Eddie's White Wonder was done in the late 1940's. I believe that Eddie's White Wonder was selected and deservedly recognized for its beautiful, upright somewhat columnar form and its profuse and showy bloom. Its bracts are a more pure white and I think broader and more lax that in the C. nuttalii parent. At its best it is a spectacular plant, well deserving of the name 'White Wonder' and even these days I've seen some beautiful, large and healthy specimens around town. The fact that decades of trials and research have since produced more disease resistant cultivars is great, but I think that an accomplished local plantsman like Mr Eddie shouldn't be criticized because his (older) cultivar did poorly in a challenging site.
Has anyone seen this on their EWW? No one ‘weed whacks’ around the tree. I’m wondering if it’s a failed graft union? But why are there cracks and more damage than one would expect?