They flower during spring and produce colorful berries during spring.
Some hybrid species even have colorful stems that are loved for a winter display.
In this post, we will round them up for you so read on.
Why is it called dogwood?
There are different stories as to why this shrub is called dogwood.
The first one is that it comes from the dagge, a Celtic word for a pointed wooden tool.
It is well referenced in Celtic history as one of the few woods specifically chosen to make wooden tools.
Dogwood bark
The bark of dogwoods is identifiable for their scaly and exfoliating look.
They come in tan and gray colors with cracks that make it look like an alligator skin.
This is one of its unique characteristics that make it a good winter landscaping shrub.
Dogwood leaves
The signature dogwood leaf has an oval shape, elongated and veined.
The edges are smooth and generally have a glossy look.
The leaves are arranged in opposite directions although they are alternately patterned too.
The color ranges from pink, yellow and yellow green flowers, among others.
The flowers are also always surrounded with white bracts.
They bloom in clusters specifically from mid-March to May.
Dogwood berries
The fruits of dogwoods come in different shapes, sizes, and colors.
Some are edible to humans, but most are edible to birds.
Some are poisonous, endangering pets and other animals.
Dogwood tree identification
When it comes to dogwood tree identification, there are two characteristics to spot.
you might also identify its berries during summer.
This means that it dies back during winter at ground level and re-grow from the bud.
It does not grow that tall (just 4-6-inches) but spreads fast in rhizomes.
It also has faint leaf veins and white flowers that will turn into edible red berries in the summer.
They grow in multiple stems that turn to dull green in maturity.
It is identifiable for its elliptical to oval shape leaves, cream-colored flowers, and black-blue fruits.
While the fruits are edible, they leave a bad taste.
The leaves have faint veins, and they are fast-growing dogwood species, so they must be pruned regularly.
They grow to up to 15ft but also have dwarf varieties.
In the summer, edible red berries.
They can only be harvested once they have fallen into the ground.
The red berries can be turned into sauces, pickles, jams, liquors, and other preserves.
4.Flowering dogwood(Cornus florida)
Thissmall deciduous shrubis well-loved for its high ornamental value.
Its dark green, veined leaves turn purplish red in the fall.
It grows in between 15-20ft.
They might need regular pruning, however, since they are prone to dogwood anthracnose.
Its oval and veined leaves turn purplish red in the fall.
It is most identifiable for its gray-tan bark with an exfoliating, mottled look ready for the winter.
It grows to just 8ft and is native to Eastern Asia.
It blooms white flowers and then grayish-white by white berries.
The berries are edible for birds but are toxic to humans.
It has lancing, veined leaves that turn purple-red in the fall.
Annually, the orange-brown bark peels and as it matures and then turns into gray at maturity.
It is loved for its high tolerance to shade and drought conditions.
Its fruits are red to bright orange.
This dogwood can grow to up to 75ft when maintained well.
It can be multi-stemmed or can be pruned to condition a single-stem growth.
It gets its pagoda name from its flat crown and branches that grow in layers.
It grows between 15-25ft tall and its most beautiful variegated species is the Argentea.
And then it blooms small, white flowers followed by white berries that are only edible to birds.
It grows to up to 12ft.
It thrives well in sunny areas and forms clusters by growing from suckers.
It is a hardy dogwood, with small white flowers and yellow green berries after.
It also has the signature oval, veined leaves of the dogwood and turns purplish red by fall.
It grows between 6-15ft and is a native of Eastern North America.
11.Stiff dogwood(Cornus foemina)
It is in between a large shrub and a small tree.
It has glossy, drooping, oval and veined leaves that turn red-purple in the fall.
It blooms clusters of small, white flowers that turn burgundy in the fall.
However, the flowers produce a foul smell.
It grows from 15-25ft and thrives in full sunlight to partial shade.
They are found in swamps and boggy areas.
It blooms small,deep-purple flowerswith white bracts.
They are used as ground cover but only for mountainous or alpine landscapes.
It grows to just 8-inches and is native to the Arctic regions.
Their decorative yellow stems offer a visual impact in backyards.
During spring, they bloom tiny, white flowers.
It is followed by inedible yellow green fruits.
The whole shrub turns bright green in the summer and bright yellow in the fall up to winter.
14.Giant dogwood(Cornus controversa)
This one is native to Asia, specifically in the Himalayas.
It is also called the wedding cake tree and grows to more than 50ft.
The leaves turn purplish red.
They are mostly seen in large estates as well as in parks.
It is a decorative shrub because of its bright red stems during fall and winter.
For summer and spring, it sports a whitish-green foliage with white rims.
The white flowers are flat and tiny.
They are followed by blue or white fruits in the summer.
It is a deciduous shrub which grows to 16ft.
It has flashy, tiny, white flowers with blueberry-like fruits in the summer.
It is native to lower woodlands of Asia and Australia.
It grows to an impressive height of 40ft, with lancing, gray-green leaves.
It produces clusters of tiny, white flowers in the spring and red fruits in the summer.
Dogwood tree care guide
So how do you properly grow and take care of your dogwood tree?
Here are some of the tree care tips of the dogwood that you should master.
They can come in handy especially when you start caring for your own dogwood in the homes landscape.
In terms of invasiveness, kousa dogwoods are more invasive and messier during bloom time compared to flowering dogwoods.
Other than this, they have the same care requirements.
The types of kousa dogwood include Gold Star, Temple Jewel, and Wolf Eyes.
Are there hybrid dogwood trees?
The flowering dogwood and the kousa dogwood are hybrid dogwoods.
Other cultivars or variegations of hybrid dogwood trees would be the: Stardust, Celestial, and Stellar Pink.
Do dogwoods attract bees?
Dogwoods are the favorite of pollinators and not just of birds.
Dogwoods also attract bees and other pollinating insects, specifically the spring azure butterflies.
Dogwoods provide a steady supply of nectar that pollinators feed on.
Other mammals like squirrels also feast on dogwood, feeding on their buds before they bloom tiny flowers.
Yes, and there are just two of them: the red osier dogwood and the Pacific dogwood.
Red osiers are usually found in coastal regions while the Pacific redwood is mostly found in highland regions.
What are the most beautiful flowering dogwoods?
Dogwoods have a slow to moderate growth rate.
They can stack up a 20-ft growth in 25 years.
Height ranges also vary depending on where it is grown.
What can I plant under a dogwood tree?
Yes, through pruning.
To keep them short, all upright branches should be pruned by one-third annually.
Are dogwoods poisonous to dogs?
Do dogwoods grow well in Ohio?
There are only two dogwoods that thrive well in Ohio: flowering dogwoods and the Kousa dogwood.
Flowering dogwoods bloom profusely in the area from April to May while Kousa dogwoods bloom from May to June.
How far away from the house should you plant a dogwood tree?
They are easy to care for too, which is a major plus.
To this end, you must just choose the best dogwood for you.
