Interesting Facts About Dogwood Trees

Dogwood trees are classified in the family Cornaceae, which includes 30 to 50 types of deciduous trees and shrubs. Dogwoods are native to North America, with different species thriving in different areas. They bloom in the early spring and begin to show autumn color early in the fall. The flowers produce seeds in berries that are a favorite of many birds.

Flower Facts

What is commonly called the "flower" of the dogwood tree is not the true flower at all. The white "petals" are actually bracts of leaves surrounding the true flower cluster which makes up the yellow center. The white bracts protect the flower clusters as they form and then unfold as the flower clusters open.

One adage says that when the dogwood blooms, it is time to plant corn.

Herbal Uses

Dogwood has been used in healing and treating different conditions, with some species having different properties than others. Bark of flowering dogwood was used to treat mange, which may explain the origin of the name. Extracts and teas from different species were used as a muscle rub, to promote sweating to break a fever, and to treat malaria. An extract was used during the Civil War to replace quinine when supplies ran out. Dogwood was used to treat insomnia. It was also used for whooping cough and asthma. Dogwood was an early toothache treatment and it was a "toothbrush." Its medicinal properties are released to clean teeth simply by chewing on twigs.

The bark, twigs, flowers, berries, leaves and roots are all usable.

Uses for Wood

The wood of dogwood trees is strong and durable. It is dense and shock absorbent and is used for golf club heads and for chisel handles. Dogwood was harvested in the 1800s with 90 percent of it used to make weaving shuttles for the burgeoning textile factories. Native Americans used the wood to make daggers and arrow shafts. Dogwood was used to make baskets, and it is still a popular natural material for this purpose.

Dogwood root was used by Native Americans in a charm on muskrat traps. The roots of different species are a source of dye for red, yellow and black, and sometimes dogwood root was combined with other dye plants to achieve colors.

Types of Dogwoods

A few species of dogwood are used in landscaping. They were selected for general hardiness, showy spring blossoms and fall color. Mature dogwoods are not huge trees, and they fit well with landscaping design. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) grows wild throughout much of the eastern United States, and it is propagated for landscaping purposes. It is the most popular and well-known of the dogwoods. Redtwig (Cornus alba), silky dogwood (Cornus amomum) and creeping dogwood (Cornus canadensis) are a few smaller shrub types native to North America that are also used in landscaping.

Growing Dogwoods

Dogwoods can be grown as ornamentals anywhere they would grow naturally, which includes open woodlands and most areas except desert. Dogwood roots are shallow, and they require adequate soil moisture. Native dogwoods thrived in moist woods where they were sheltered by the canopy of large trees. The forest ecosystem created rich soil perfect for dogwoods.

They are fast growing, and flowering types bloom very young. Species with different color bracts are available, and the colors range from white to pink to almost scarlet.

References

• Species of Dogwood
• North Carolina State Flower
• Dogwood information

Resources

• Growing tips