Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida

Flowering dogwood is a southern staple tree. Found throughout the eastern and south-central United States, this tree is known for its spectacular flowers. These inflorescences are green to yellow in color and are quite small; the large, white petal-like bracts that surround the inflorescences are often mistaken for the flowers. Additionally, flowering dogwood is an important food source for many birds and beneficial insects. It’s also been used as an important medicine throughout history: Native Americans used the bark and roots as a remedy for malaria, it was later used as a substitute for quinine which also treats for malaria, and was used to treat mange in dogs. The latter may allude to the origins of its name. Neat!

 

Family: Cornaceae

Foliage: Deciduous

Mature height range: 20-40 ft.

Light exposure: Partial Shade to Full Shade

Soil preference: Well-drained soils that are acidic

Tolerance: Tolerant of shade and some urban conditions though generally does poorly in full sun and has a low salinity tolerance; many cultivars exist with varying levels of tolerance

Wildlife: fruit are eaten by birds and mammals, pollinated by insects, larval host plant for the northern eudeilinia (Eudeilinia herminiata), the dogwood thyatirid moth (Euthyatira pudens), Antispila cornifoliella, the stinging rose moth (Parasa indetermina), the grand arches moth (Lacanobia grandis), the dogwood borer (Synanthedon scitula), the rosaceous leaf roller (Choristoneura rosaceana), the diamondback epinotia moth (Epinotia lindana), spring azures (Celastrina ladon), cecropia moths (Hyalophora cecropia), and the Io moth (Automeris io)