FLOWERING DOGWOOD

Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida is a beautiful and versatile ornamental tree suitable for any yard. It will astound you with its beauty, inspiration and growth.

Rich in tannins, it was used to reduce fevers and soothe ailments such as malaria and headaches with its inner bark as a pain reliever and as a tea for treating colds. The bark was often used as a substitute for quinine during the Civil War.

Is dogwood fruit edible for humans? Nutritionally, Dogwood fruits are thought to contain impressive amounts of anthocyanins that act as antioxidants. To best harvest the fruit, slice or break it in half, and scoop out the flesh in the center. Alternatively, many people harvest them as a snack and just suck out the flesh with their mouths.

SPECS: Genus: Cornus ; Species: Florida; Plant Type: Shrub, Tree; Life Cycle: Perennial; Sun Exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun; Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium Wet, Mesic (middle); Height: 35′ — 40′; Spread: 20′; Plant Spacing: 10′ — 20′; Bloom Time: March — May; Bloom Color: Pink, White; Advantages: Birds, Erosion control, Low maintenance, Medicinal uses, Pollinator conservation, Pollinators, Privacy screen, Showy; USDA Zone: 5 — 9; Attracts: Beneficial insects, Bumblebees, Butterflies, Carpenter bees, Honey bees, Hummingbirds, Songbirds; Tolerant: Drought, Dry soils; Plant Community: All Dogwoods like to grow in slightly acidic soil and will perform best alongside other shrubs that like a lower pH soil. Snowberry, Mahonia, Rhododendron, and other broadleaf evergreens are good choices for moderate climates such as those in USDA zones 5-8.;