Virginia State Tree
Flowering Dogwood
Cornaceae Cornus florida
Leaf
Opposite, simple, arcuately veined, 3 to 6 inches long, oval in shape with an entire margin.
Flower
Very small, but surrounded by 4 large white (occasionally pink) bracts,
2 inches in diameter. Appearing March to April in the south, and June in the north.
Fruit
A shiny, oval red drupe, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, in clusters of 3 to 4.
Maturing in September to October.
Twig
Slender, green or purple, later turning gray, often with a glaucous bloom. The terminal flower buds are clover-shaped, vegetative buds resemble a cat claw.
Bark
Gray when young, turning very scaly to blocky.
Form
A small tree with a short trunk that branches low, producing a flat-topped crown. Branches are opposite and assume a “candelabra” appearance.
Copyright 2019 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and
Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John
Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson;
Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information
Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John
Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson;
Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information