#9
Accession Number: 0009-0000
Common Name: Flowering Dogwood
Latin Name: Cornus florida
Family: Cornaceae (Dogwood Family)
Native Range: Eastern North America
Height: 15–30 feet
Spread: 15–30 feet
Bloom Time: April to May
Bloom Description: White (bracts)
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5
Light Preference: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Medium
Notes: Works well as a flowering tree; attracts birds and butterflies; fruit is showy; tolerates deer, clay soil
Description: Flowering Dogwood, the common name for the dogwoods native to eastern North America, is a beautiful flowering tree and perhaps one of the signature symbols of spring, often in bloom around Mother’s Day. The somewhat small trees have been very popular landscape plants, covered with what are typically thought of as white flowers, although they are actually highly developed, petal-like bracts that surround the clusters of small green flowers that develop into berries. In fall, the bright red fruits (bitter and inedible to humans) are loved by birds, and the leaves take on a dark red coloration. The greatest problem with Cornus florida in recent years is anthracnose, a fungal disease that kills the trees and has caused devastation to much of the flowering dogwood population in the eastern US. The trees become more susceptible to this disease and other harmful conditions when stressed by heat and drought.
