White Dogwood
Cornus florida L.
Also known as White Dogwood.
Seedling Height: 10 to 20 inches
Mature Size: Commonly 20 to 30 feet tall and 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
Type: Deciduous.
Growth Rate: Medium.
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand, well drained.
Light: Partial shade, partial sun, full shade, full sun.
Blooms: Mid spring.
Form: A small tree with a short trunk that branches low, producing a slightly rounded to flat-topped crown.
Habitat: Hardwood forest understories, on a variety of soils.
Leaves
Opposite, simple, 3 to 5 inches long, edges smooth or wavy, with veins curving to run parallel to the leaf edges.
Flowers
Very small and inconspicuous, tightly clustered, surrounded by 4 very showy, large, white (occasionally pink), notched, petal-like bracts, 2 inches in diameter, appearing in mid-spring.
Fruit
An oval red drupe in clusters of 3 to 5, mature in fall.
Bark
Gray-brown, dividing into small scaly blocks.
Twigs
Slender, green or purple (on sunlit side), later turning gray, often with a waxy coating; flower buds are onion-shaped; leaf buds resemble dull cat claws.
Values and Uses
The brown to red wood is hard, heavy, strong and very close-grained. It was once used for textile shuttles and spools and for handles and mallets, but is seldom harvested today. Although the fruits are poisonous if eaten by humans, more than 35 species of birds and many large and small mammals are known to eat them. Deer and rabbits browse the foliage and twigs. Dogwood is planted as an attractive ornamental tree.
Did You Know?
White dogwood is the state tree and the state flower of Virginia.
