Skip to main content
UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences logo
Give      University of Florida
Resources
    Toggle Search Form
    GIVE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
    • HOME
    • Forest Ecology Contest
          • Contest Stations
          • Past Winners
          • About the Contest
    • Nature Poetry Contest
    • 4-H Forest Resources

    Florida 4-H Forest Ecology

    Florida 4-H Forest Ecology

    • florida4h.ifas.ufl.edu
    • Florida 4-H Forest Ecology
    • Forest Ecology Contest
    • Contest Stations
    • Trees of Florida
    • Flowering Dogwood

    Flowering Dogwood

    Cornus florida
    Family: Cornaceae

    Natural History

    dogwood-full
    Leaves, bracts, and flowers of flowering dogwood | Photo credit: USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station Archive, USDA Forest Service, SRS, Bugwood.org

    The small and graceful flowering dogwood is a popular ornamental of the Cornaceae family. It grows from extreme southwestern Maine to eastern Kansas, south to eastern Texas and Florida. You can find flowering dogwood trees in well-drained, light upland soils to deep, moist soils along streams, and lower slopes.

    It grows near or under many taller trees including some of the hickories, oaks, tulip tree, pines, red maple, and American beech. It also occurs with smaller trees and shrubs such as redbud and hawthorns.

    Flowering dogwood is fast growing, short-lived, and bears clusters of showy, white to pinkish-white flowers appearing before leaves unfold in the spring. Flowering is followed by red, berry-like fruits that are valuable to wildlife. Many species of songbirds, small mammals, squirrels, and raccoons are attracted to the fruits in autumn. Whitetail deer browse the leaves and twigs, especially enjoying new sprout growth.

    The white wood is hard, tough, close-grained, and good for making tool handles.

    Section Topics

    • Habitat and Range
    • Wildlife Use
    • Human Use
    • Identifying Characteristics
    • Images
    • Learn More
    University of Florida Logo
    Contact

    Feedback
    Florida 4-H Forest Ecology
    P.O. Box 110410 Gainesville, FL 32611-0410
    (352) 846-0547

    Land Grant Mission
    • Teaching
    • Research
    • Extension
    Information
    • Ask IFAS (EDIS)
    • UF/IFAS Experts
    • UF/IFAS Blogs
    • UF/IFAS Bookstore
    Policy
    • Accessible UF
    • EEO Statement
    • IFAS Web Policy
    • SSN & UF Privacy
    • Analytics (Google Privacy)

    © 2025 University of Florida, IFAS Last Modified:Wed, 30 Jun 2021 10:27:37 EDT