Flowering Dogwood
Growth Habit
TreeBiocultural Value
Native Americans used flowering dogwood in a wide variety of medicinal applications, including as an analgesic, worm medicine, poultice for wounds, febrifuge, flue remedy, and throat aid. The wood was carved into tools such as loom shuttles.
Wildlife Value
The flowers attract an assortment of primarily nectar-seeking small bees and flies, including Halictid bees, Andrenid bees, bee flies, and Syrphid flies. A specialist bee, the fragile dogwood andrena (Andrena fragilis), visits only Pagoda dogwood and other plants in the genus Cornus. Many insects feed on the foliage, wood, and plant juices, including the dogwood thyatirid (Euthyatira pudens), dogwood leaf beetle (Calligrapha philadelphica), and dogwood sawfly (Macremphytus tarsatus). Songbirds and small mammals enjoy the fruit, which have a high fat content. White-tailed deer and cottontail rabbits browse on the bark, twigs, and buds during the winter.
Location
Fischer Old-growth Forest, Mundy Wildflower GardenCultivation
Description
Small, low-branched tree with spreading, horizontal branches and a flat-topped crown, often wider than high at maturity. Fertile flowers greenish-yellow, crowded into a 1/2" wide head surrounded by four, 2" long, white bracts, effective in April and May. Fruit a glossy red, 1/3" long drupe, borne 3-4 in a cluster, ripening in September and October. Fall color a reliably good reddish-purple.
Source of plant
Chase Brother's Nursery, Schichtel's Nursery, Weston Nurseries, Edgewood Nursery, John Ewanicki, Lake County Nursery Inc., Forrest Keeling Nursery, McGuire Gardens, Bill Schneider, Ruth Nix
