Plant of the Month: April, 1998

by Russell Stevens

Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida

Characteristics: Native, cool season, perennial shrub or tree found in moist soil of bottomland and upland. Most commonly found in forest understories or in shaded areas. "Cornus" is a Latin word that means "tough wood", and "florida" is a Latin reference to the white, showy, petal-like bracts that subtend the true flower in the center.

Area of Importance: Eastern third of Oklahoma and Texas.

Attributes: A native tree highly favored as an ornamental due to its showy early spring flowers (bracts), bright red fruits, and fall foliage. The fruit is eaten by quail, turkey and many other species of birds. Flowering dogwood is also browsed by white-tailed deer.

I.D. Tip: The bark is grayish brown or black in color and is broken into small square blocks. The leaves, when gently pulled apart during the growing season, demonstrate a silk-like veination similar to a spider's web.

Hundreds of plants are identified in the Noble Foundation Plant Image Gallery.