Flowering Dogwood Fact Sheet

Dogwood is a type of flowering tree that belongs to the family cornaceae.

Flowering dogwood fact sheet. In mid april the buds have begun to enlarge and open slightly. There are 30 to 50 species of dogwood that are native to temperate areas of north america and eurasia. The flowers consist of four bracts which subtend the small head of yellow flowers. Opposite simple 3 to 5 inches long oval in shape with an entire or slightly wavy margin arcuately veined green above and slightly paler below.

The state tree of virginia the flowering dogwood has conspicuous white to light yellow flowers that offer magnificent blooms in spring. Cornus florida l flowering dogwood is a small bushy tree which rarely attains a height of more than 40 feet or a diameter of 12 to 18 inches. The leaves are opposite one another and from 3 to 6 inches long. The deeply ridged and broken bark resembles alligator hide.

It grows on fertile loamy soil in areas that provide enough moisture and shade. One of the most common species and the one about which you ve most likely heard is the flowering dogwood. Other species can be quite different. The state tree of virginia flowering dogwood grows 20 to 35 feet tall and spreads 25 to 30 feet fig.

It can be trained with one central trunk or as a picturesque multi trunked tree. Very small and inconspicuous tight cluster but surrounded by 4 very showy large white occasionally pink bracts 2 inches in diameter appearing in mid spring. For example the blackfruit cornel native to california has small yellow green blooms and a fruit which turns black when ripe. These species vary wildly from shrubs to deciduous temperate trees and evergreens.

Dogwood can be found in the evergreen forests or on the edges of deciduous forests. Buds are onion shaped and their presence makes the tree easy to identify even in winter. Photographs of flower buds of flowering dogwood.