Flowering Dogwood Other Common Names: Virginia Dogwood, Florida Dogwood, White Cornel, Arrowwood, False Box Scientific Name: Cornus florida Native to Alabama: Yes
	Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center W.D. and Dolphia Bransford Click on image to enlarge it

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Basic Plant Information
	I am a vascular plant with a woody trunk supporting woody branches, so I am a tree. I do not keep leaves year-round, so I am deciduous. I renew my growth each spring for many seasons, so I am perennial. I can grow 15 - 30 feet high and 15 - 30 feet wide.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Julie Makin Click on image to enlarge it

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Maintenance Notes
Dormant in winter. Pruning is not necessary, but can be pruned in the spring to help maintain its shape. Maintain a mulch layer around the base to help keep roots cool and moist, especially during the summer. Fertilize in spring and fall. When watering, hold hose to base of plant for a count of 5 seconds.  Water should reach all roots. Avoid sprinkling water on the leaves. Until established, water two times per week during the summer and once per week during the rest of the year.

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Habitat Requirements
This plant prefers:
Full Sun (6+ hours of sun per day) Part Sun/Shade (2-6 hours of sun per day)		Average Watering	Well-drained, Sandy, Loamy, or Acidic soil

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Leaf, Flower & Seed Identification
LEAF DESCRIPTION				Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Eric Beckers Click on image to enlarge it
Leaf Characteristics Chart (PDF)
Shape: Ovate	Margin: Entire/Smooth	Arrangement: Opposite	Form: Simple
Description:
Leaves are 3-6 inches long and 3-6 inches wide; dark green on the upper side and more pale underneath; veins bend upward toward the tip; turn bright reddish purple in the fall

FLOWER DESCRIPTION							Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Carolyn Fannon Click on image to enlarge it
Flower Shapes Chart (JPG)
Color: Appear white or pink with yellowish green cluster in the center			Shape: Cross			Bloom Months: Mar - May
Description:
3-4 inches across; Yellowish green flowers are clusterd in the center and have four white or pink bracts below

SEED DESCRIPTION			Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Sally and Andy Wasowski Click on image to enlarge it
Type: Fruit - Berry	Description: Grow in clusters of 3 or 4 berries that are glossy bright red, oval shaped, and 1/2 inches in diameter	Months in Seed: Fall
Plant spreads by:
Seeds In the fall, when the fruit is bright red and ripe, birds and other wildlife eat the fruits.  After going through the digestion process, the seeds are able to germinate in the new location.

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Plant Life Cycle
Plant Life Cycle: All plants start life as a seed.  Seeds contain the new plant (embryo) and the nutrients inside of a protective coat.  They must be dispersed (moved to a new location) Once a seeed lands in a suitable environment, it will begin to grow to form the cotyledon or sprout.  Small roots will begin growing into the soil, and a small leaf is developed. The sprout becomes a seedling, developing a stem and leaves above ground. As the seedling continues to grow, it will develop into a mature adult plant. Mature adult plants are able to produce flowers that can be pollinated.  The pollination process leads to the formation of new seeds, and the process continues.
	Dreamstime Click on image to enlarge it

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Quick Fact Sheet (Condensed Species Info)

Plant ID Sign: Ready as-is PDF

Plant ID Sign: Editable Word Doc

QR Code (Links to this Webpage)

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's Plant Database		USDA Plants Database
North Carolina Entension Gardener Plant Toolbox		Missouri Botanical Garden
Alabama Butterfly Atlas

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