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White flower of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida).Mary Vaux Walcott, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tree showing bark of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) in a field.Chhe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Fruit of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida).Mary Vaux Walcott, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Herbarium specimen of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida).Cornus florida L. collected in United States of America by The New York Botanical Garden (licensed under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

(Cornus florida)
Flowering Dogwood

Host Plant: Spring Azure Butterfly

Nectar Plant: many insects including bees and flies

Flower Color: white, pink, and red

Growth Habit: Small understory tree that grows to 15-35 feet tall

Range in North America: Mid-western and eastern North America.

Exposure: Prefers partial shade underneath taller canopy trees, but can handle full sun.

Hardiness: Zones 5-9

Soil Requirements: Moist soils that are well-drained, but can handle occasional dry periods.

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Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

Close-up of flower of flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) in a wooded setting.
Miller Jan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Alternative Names

Kinnikinnik, Pale Dogwood, Red Willow, Swamp Dogwood, Silky Cornel, White Cornel, Cornelian Tree

Description of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), a member of the Cornaceae (Dogwood Family), is a small tree that grows to 35 feet tall and blooms in the spring (March to May) and has red fruits that mature in the summer and fall.  More about Flowering Dogwood can be found on this blog post.

Hosted Species

Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)

Flowering Dogwood hosts the Spring Azure Butterfly (Celastrina ladon), the Io Moth (Automeris io), and the Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia).  Andrena bees enjoy the nectar and birds are fond of the fruits in the fall.

Spring Azure on a purple flower.
Spring Azure Butterfly on Flower — ALAN SCHMIERER, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Range of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) in the United States and Canada

 

Range map of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) in the United States and Canada.

Flowering dogwood is an understory tree that is found in mixed forests of mid-western and eastern North America.

Interesting Facts

The genus name comes from a Latin name “Cornu“, which is apparently in reference to the strong wood (Missouri Botanical Garden).

Webpages

North Carolina Extension Gardener

Missouri Botanical Garden

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

 

Native Location

Ontario, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9

Exposure Requirements

Full Sun, Part Shade/Part Sun

Plant Habit

Herbaceous

Soil Requirements

Medium, Moist

Hosted Species

Celastrina ladon (Spring Azure), Hyalophora cecropia (Cecropia Moth)

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