Flowering dogwood
Classification:
Family: Cornaceae, dogwood family
Genus, species: Cornus florida
Leaves:
Leaves are egg-shaped with smooth edges. All leaf veins are parallel to leaf edges.
Bark:
Bark is gray or light brown, broken into small blocks, looks like alligator skin.
Flowers:
Flowers are small and inconspicuous. The showy white "petals" are bracts (expanded bud scales) and are not technically part of the flower. Some cultivated varieties have pink bracts.
Fruit:
Fruits are clusters of green berries, ripen to bright red in autumn.
Twigs:
Twigs are slender, gray.
More Information:
The genus name, Cornus, is from the Latin for "horn-like" or "horny." The species name, florida, is not for the state of Florida, but is from the Latin for "flowery" or "florid."
Photos:Dogwood leaf
Dogwood leaves
Dogwood flower
Close-up view of dogwood flowers
Dogwood fruit
Dogwood bark
