Dogwood

(Cornus Florida)

Interesting Information:

     According to legend, Jesus was crucified on a cross that was made from a dogwood tree.  After Jesus was crucified God then said that the Dogwood tree would never again grow tall enough to make a cross out of.  The flower of the dogwood tree has four pedals, like the four posts of a cross, and the center of the flower  resembles the crown of thorns.  The red berries that form in the center of the flowers in the fall represent the blood of Christ.

Common Name: Flowering Dogwood

Scientific Name: Cornus Florida

Family Name (scientific and common): Cornus; Flowering Dogwood; Cornus Florida

Continent of Origin: North America

Most distinguishing morphological features of the plant: None, not poisonous or hard to control.

Plant Growth Habit: Large Tree

Height at Maturity: More than 10 feet

Life Span: Perennial

Seasonal Habit: Deciduous Perennial

Growth Habit: Partial Sun

Manner of Culture: Landscape shrub-Vine-Tree

Thorns on Younger Stem?: No

Cross Section of Younger Stem?: Roundish

Stem (or Trunk) Diameter: More than the Diameter of a coffee-mug

Produces brownish bark?: Yes

Bark Peeling in many areas?No

Characteristics of Mature (brownish) Bark?: Lines go up-down

Type of Leaf: Flat, Thin Leaf

Length of Leaf (or Leaflet)?: Between the length of a credit card and a writing-pen

Leaf Complexity: simple

Shape of Leaf: Simple

Edge of Leaf?: Smooth

Leaf Arrangement: Alternate/ Opposite (both)

Leaf has Petiole: Yes

Patterns of Main-Veins: Pinnate

Leaf Hairiness: No hairs

Color of Foliage in Summer: Green

Change in Color of Foliage in October: Changes to Reddish-Orange

Flowering Season?: Spring

Flowers?: Tightly clustered

Type of Flowers: Like a grass flower

Color of Flower: Yellow

Shape of Individual Flower?: Radially Symmetrical

Size of Individual flower?: Between a Quarter and the Length of a Credit Card

Sexuality?: Male and Female Flowers on Separate Plants

Size of Fruit: Smaller than a Quarter

Fruit Fleshiness: Dry

Shape of Fruit?: Spherical

Color of Fruit at Maturity?: Red

Fruit Desirable to Birds or Squirrels?: Yes

Unique Morphological Features:

Is the Plant Poisonous? NONE OF PLANT

Pesty Plan (weedy/hard to control): NO

Common Names: Dogwood, Flowering Dogwood

Page prepared by:

Stephanie Check 

November 2005