Showy dogwood trees fit in many states, including Texas

By NORMAN WINTER

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

At a recent meeting, I felt like I discovered the Garden of Eden in Mount Vernon, Ga. I was at Brewton-Parker College and was given a tour of the campus by its president, David Smith. Everywhere I looked there was a native dogwood. I couldn’t help but think to myself, "These dogwoods are for the birds."

My thought was not far off the mark because these small trees feed 28 species of birds, including quail and turkey. Deer and squirrel also love the fruit, making the flowering dogwood an all-star for those wanting a back-yard wildlife habitat.

The native dogwood has a long history of cultivation going back to 1731. It fit perfectly with the Brewton-Parker’s historic village, featuring homes from the late 1700s and early 1800s. Botanically speaking, the native dogwood is known as Cornus florida. This Latin name says it all about our treasured little tree.

"Cornus" means tough or durable wood, and indeed in our country’s history it has been used in a variety of ways, from tool handles to wheel hubs. You might think the "florida" gives reference to being native to that state, but it refers to the showy white flowers that are actually bracts or modified leaves.

Unfortunately, the common name "dogwood" does not have a romantic origin. It came from England where another species of Cornus was used to make a concoction to wash mangy dogs.

The species is, in fact, native to Florida and 32 other states, among them Texas, where dogwoods are found in the Piney Woods of East Texas.

Although we stand in awe at their picturesque springtime beauty, they can be enjoyed now as well. In some areas, they are as exquisite as hollies with bright red, oval-shaped fruits, or drupes. In some locales, they are turning to their exceptional red fall color that can be seen in a forest or landscape from hundreds of yards away.

The dogwood’s small stature makes it ideal for today’s smaller urban landscapes. It makes an incredible partner with redbuds, azaleas, forsythias and camellias. A search will reveal more varieties or named selections than you ever imagined, including a healthy supply of pink-flowered dogwoods.

Horticulturist Norman Winter is the author of Paradise Found: Growing Tropicals in Your Own Backyard , Mississippi Gardener’s Guide and Tough-as-Nails Flowers For the South . Write to him at normanw@ext.msstate.edu.

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