Dogwood Tree Myths
For many, the blooming of dogwood trees is a sign of spring. The trees are seen in landscapes and in wooded areas throughout the United States with lacy white or pink blooms. There are religious and Native American myths surrounding the dogwood tree. These myths are a tribute to this beautiful flowering tree. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Cross
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In biblical times, the dogwood allegedly grew as large as an oak tree with intertwining branches. Legend says that the tree was made into the cross where Jesus Christ was crucified. According to the myth, the tree was sorrowful for its part in the crucifixion. The blossoms form a cross with "blood-stained markings" and a thorny crown in the center. The pink flowering dogwoods are "blushing" because of its role in the crucifixion.
Facts
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The dogwood grows naturally in Europe, eastern Asia and North America. It does not grow in or near Israel. There is no evidence that Jesus made any mention of the tree. The Bible is the only record of the life and words of Jesus and it makes no mention of the dogwood tree. There is no reference to the dogwood legend prior to the 20th century. The myth of the dogwood reminds Christians of the death of Christ on the cross in spring when Easter is celebrated.
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Cherokee Myth
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The Cherokee people had a belief that little people lived among the dogwoods. Their purpose was to teach the people to live in harmony with the trees in the woods. The "dogwood people" protected babies, the aged and the infirm.
Garden of Eden
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According to another myth, the dogwood tree was Adam's favorite tree in the Garden of Eden. The devil climbed a locust tree to scale the wall around Eden to knock the blossoms off the tree. Since the flowers were in the shape of a cross, the devil was only able to bite a chunk out of each petal. Following this, the locust grew thorns so that it could never be used to get into the Garden of Eden again.
Other Myths
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Two other myths exist as possible explanations of how the tree got its name. Some believe the name came about in colonial days when the bark of the tree was boiled to form a solution to pour over mangy dogs. Another possibility comes from the use of the wood from the tree to make wooden daggers, giving the tree the name "dagwood" which later became dogwood.
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References
- Photo Credit Tom Brakefield/Stockbyte/Getty Images
