NAME:
COMMON – Flowering Dogwood
BOTANICAL – Cornus florida
FAMILY – Cornaceae

DERIVATION:
Native from southeastern Canada through eastern North America to eastern Mexico.

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS:
Grows 15 to 25 feet tall. It is quite tolerant to heat once established.

LOCATION:
Found throughout NC usually growing under larger forest trees and at woodland edges

ATTRIBUTES, VALUE, UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS:
The showy dogwood “flower” is actually a cluster of small, true flowers surrounded by four petal-like bracts. It is the state flower of North Carolina. The flowers are visited by butterflies and specialized bees, and the red fruits are a food source for songbirds and other wildlife from fall through winter.

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