Dogwood – The Native Flowering Tree

Dogwood is not a dog that looks like wood but a plant that is America’s best-known native flowering tree. Flowers brighten up any landscape and bring a smile to everyone’s face. They have an energising presence that will make your heart skip a beat. In this blog, we tell you about Dogwood – A Native Flowering Tree that will bring a smile to your face.

1. Dogwood, commonly known as Cornus, is a genus of shrubs, trees, and plants native to Europe, Eastern Asia, and North America.

2. The beautiful white or pink blooms (bracts) that announce the advent of spring are the primary attraction. The wood is dense, with almost little apparent grain.

3. Many dogwood species have hidden rhizomes or rooting branches that let them expand rapidly. Depending on the species, young branches are usually coated in tiny hairs (trichomes), and simple leaves range from hairy to waxy.

4. The actual flowers of some species are tiny, with four petals and four sepals surrounded by four petal-like bracts. A drupe is the kind of fruit.

Types of Dogwoods

5. Dogwoods come in many sizes and shapes, from tiny shrubs to single-trunked ornamental trees. The following is a list of common kinds, some of which are native to America and others which originate in Asia and Europe.

Cornus florida

Cornus kousa

Cornus mas

Cornus nuttallii

Cornus sanguinea

Cornus amomum spp. obliqua

Cornus stolonifera

Characteristics of Dogwood

6. The leaves of dogwoods are smooth and untoothed, with veins that curve sharply as they reach the leaf edges. The leaves of most dogwood species are arranged in opposing directions.

7. All dogwood species produce drupes with one or two seeds that are frequently brilliantly coloured. The drupes of Cornus subgenus species are edible. Many of them lack taste.

Uses

8. Dogwoods are extensively grown as ornamentals, and the thick wood of the larger-stemmed species is prized for many applications. This fine-grained and attractive wood may be used to make cutting boards and other delicate turnings.

9. Cornus species bark is high in tannins and has been employed as a quinine replacement in traditional medicine.

In India, the relative member of the dogwood family, that is, the Himalayan Strawberry Tree is found. Himalayan Strawberry Trees are evergreen trees with noticeable ribs and pale green leaves. These beauty can be seen during June or early July and the bracts can become mauvy-pink at times.