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Flowering Dogwood
| Flowering
Dogwood |
| The
Flowering Dogwood is found throughout the entire eastern half
of the United States, and is one of the most popular ornamental
trees, with four-season appeal. Showy early spring flowers are
the yearly highlight, but red fruits and crimson foliage in
autumn, large floral buds and checkered bark in winter, and
year-round layered branching add to its appeal. |
The
Flowering Dogwood is a deciduous tree from the Dogwood Family.
The most outstanding feature of this tree is its showy, attractive
flowering branches. Blossoms appear before the leaves in spring.
Flowering Dogwood flowers are creamy white with a yellow center.
The tips of the petals are notched and tinted with a rust
color.
The fruit of the Flowering Dogwood consists of four or five
oblong drupes, first bright green in color but turning to
a brilliant scarlet in autumn, adds to the ever-changing picture.
Wild turkey and other forest birds especially seek Flowering
Dogwood fruits. Autumn turns the Flowering Dogwood leaves
slowly from deep purple to rich wine colors.
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| Leaves
delay their appearance until the glory of their flowers fade,
then extend to their fullest dimension of three to six inches
long and approximately half that wide. The bright green upper
surface and the contrasting gray-green under surface of the
Flowering Dogwood leaves provide colorful summer viewing.
Flowering Dogwood bark is red-brown to reddish gray, broken
by fissures into small blocks, like alligator hide. This small
native tree with low spreading crown is especially valued
for ornamental planting.
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