The Flowering Dogwoods Cornus florida are now starting to bloom all over the hills here and the hillsides are boasting beautiful trees filled with white blooms. The Flowering Dogwood is native to the eastern half of the Unites States and is one of the most popular ornamental trees.
Found in zones from 5 to 9 it is not only beautiful in the spring while in bloom but has beautiful berries and leaves in the Fall. It will also grow in full sun to full shade.
The flowers bear green berries which grow throughout the summer, turning a bright red in the fall. The birds and squirrels make a fest of the berries along with other small mammals.
Historically the hard, closed grain of the wood of the Flowering Dogwoods were used to make shuttles for weaving.
Here they grow in the worst of soil conditions adapting to the poor, hard clay and rocky soil. And we do have our rocks here from gravel to giant boulders and cliffs.
We also have the Silky and Pagoda Dogwood which is more shrub like.
The blooms on it are clustered and flat which produce dark blue-black berries in the Fall.
Although the berries are beneficial to the wildlife and are beautiful in the Fall, I love seeing them in bloom all over the hills in the spring.
Happy Gardening,
Lona
19 comments:
What lovely flowers the dogwoods are. I love the Swallowtail on the blooms too.
Wonderful springtime pictures.
Have a great week ~ FlowerLady
Hi Lona,
Beautiful photos, I don't think I've ever really seen Dogwoods flowering here and it's a massive shame as their flowers are stunning!
Hmmm... it grows in your rocky soil? I always thought that was why mine didn't make it! Must be something else I'm doing. Lovely photos.
Always loved Dogwood trees.
Your's are picture perfect.
Great shots !!
These are so gorgeous!
Dogwoods are so gorgeous in the spring. One of my favorites.
Lona,
Our dogwoods are past already, loved to photos. Did you know the flowers of Flowering Dogwood are the host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly.
Dogwoods are such a lovely four season tree, and the NC state tree. Beautiful shimmery photos.
Didn't realize they grew in heavy clay and rocky soil. Perhaps I should have planted one of these beauties instead of the Bradford Pear.
Such beautiful trees whether covered in blooms or berries. Your photos really do show off its beauty in lovely detail.
white isn't much of a colour, but for flowers white can be very beautiful....
Such beauty in those flowers. The Dogwood is the official flower of BC, and I love it.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
Beautiful dogwood blooms.
Your garden is definitely ahead of mine right now. I just saw all your flowers on your last post. Funny I just realized my Dogwood is just starting to bloom today! I don't always get berries on mine, although I did last year and the birds loved them.
I love flowering dogwoods! Ours are blooming here, too. You have a lovely blog!
What a wonderful plant! Love the sight of the flowers and later the berries also. I am intrigued!
Dogwoods are amazing! Lona, thank you! I don't have any, unfortunately.
You are so much farther along into spring than we are--our dogwoods haven't even broken dormancy yet. I love seeing my gardening friends' lovelies cuz it makes it easier for me to wait!
I hope your campanula does okay in your current sogginess. My tall one drowned last year. Actually I have to tell the truth, I drowned it. Accidentally, of course. Lesson learned!
Oh how I love dogwoods. I especially love the pink ones. They are always in full bloom when I'm turkey hunting. Which the old timers say that when the dogwoods are in full bloom the turkeys are gobblin' good....and I believe that! LOL!
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