Tree of the Week: Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

The flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a beautiful native tree. Its high ornamental value leads to frequent plantings in our local landscape. In autumn, the tree stands out for its red leaves and fruit, but this time of year, the flowers draw our attention. The blossoms are very showy around Easter. This species has cultural significance in the southeast, reminding some local Christians of the crucifixion of Jesus.

From the very beginning of the Arboretum's history, the flowering dogwood has been a 'must have' for the collection. Ed Leuck collected and planted over 10 individuals. Some were bought as small trees, others were collected as seedlings. Unfortunately, the flowering dogwood has proven to be very difficult to maintain here on the Centenary campus. Today we are left with one healthy tree. This individual was provided by Jack Price in 1993. It was collected as a seedling, nurtured in a pot for several years, and planted in the ground in 1996. It grows towards the top of a steep slope.

Our one remaining flowering dogwood is located near the Ratcliff Gazebo, with the steeple of Brown Chapel in the background.

The tree is doing well, producing a multitude of blooms.

Individual blossom with guest.

Detail of flower

You can see additional photos of the arboretum's flowering dogwood here. The flowering dogwood in this photo perished in the 2011 drought.

For more information about this species consult the following:
United States Department of Agriculture
University of Florida IFAS 
University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture