It is also a popular ornamental plant and is used in gardens to provide autumn and winter colour. Uses for the red twig dogwood. The flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) shows off its "flowers" in spring, but those blooms are actually bracts, a type of leaf (see Reference 1). If space allows, the white can be accentuated with a background of conifers. Understated until the colder months when it bursts into colour, dogwood is a broadleaf shrub which thrives in damp woodland edges. This … The bark was simmered in water and used on aching muscles and a bark tea was used to promote sweating and break a fever. The Dogwood Tree is a majestic ornamental, well adapted to life in the United States. It grows on fertile, loamy soil in areas that provide enough moisture and shade. Founded in 1972, the...Read More. The Dogwood tree is an extremely common ornamental plant, dogwood trees offer beautiful flowers and unique fruits. People use American dogwood for headaches, wounds, fever, ongoing diarrhea, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. In addition to their popularity as landscape plantings, these native North American trees have a variety of uses and even legendary significance. Dogwood trees grow quickly, with a fast rate of over a foot a year. It is one of my favorite unique edible plants. Leaves are simple, opposite, ovate measuring 6-13 cm long and 4-6 cm broad with entire margins. The tree’s extremely hard wood also found important uses as weavers’ shuttles and in golf club heads, the handles of chisels and mauls, and even as wedges and yokes. List of various diseases cured by Jamaican Dogwood. 2296645), is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Woodland Trust. There are over 50 species within the Cornus, or Dogwood, genus. Common Uses: Golf club heads, textile shuttles, bows (archery), mallets, pulleys, and turned objects. GB520 6111 04. The Woodland Trust and Woodland Trust Nature Detectives logos are registered trademarks. 1982873. Images © protected Woodland Trust. Autumn leaf identification quiz: can you identify these 10 trees? Flower color: White is the usual color of the dogwood’s petal-like bracts, but some are pink or even pale red, such as C. florida ‘Rubra’. How to Plant and Care for Flowering Dogwood, When planting flowering dogwood, careful site selection and some attention to regular care will be rewarded with an addition to the landscape that provides long-lasting, four-season beauty around the home, business or in lightly used areas of parks. Dogwood flowers are creamy-white and appear in clusters. Best soil is a cool, acidic (pH 5.5 to 6.6) loam with a high percentage of organic matter. Found naturally in over one-third of all Tennessee counties, Cornus florida or flowering dogwood, is among the state’s favorite trees. After pollination by insects, the flowers develop into small black berries – sometimes called 'dogberries'. Credit: John Richmond / Alamy Stock Photo. Wounds predispose this species this species to invastion by dogwood borers. It is little used in modern herbalism. Look out for: a stringy latex-type substance which can be seen if the leaves are pulled apart. Types of mushroom in the UK: common identification guide, Woodland Walks podcast with Adam Shaw and Dan Snow, Foraging for natural Christmas decorations. It was also used to counteract the effects of many poisons … Its shape is also good as a canopy tree. How Jamaican Dogwood is effective for various diseases is listed in repertory format. The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and education organization. A million members, donors, and partners support our programs to make our world greener and healthier. Its toughness is appreciated in a variety of applications, though its poor dimensional stability means that its use is usually restricted to unglued/unjoined standalone … The species name, florida, is also from Latin, flos, meaning flowery. Woodland Trust (Enterprises) Limited, registered in England (No. There has not been a lot written about the uses of dogwood for magic. Something interesting about the Dogwood Tree in Tennessee. But for countless Americans today, the dogwood needs no greater purpose than the remarkable beauty it brings forests and homes. The fresh green, oval leaves are 6cm long, have smooth sides and characteristic curving veins. For all the beauty of this tree, the common name of dogwood may come from something less lovely – “dagger.” This, in turn, may actually come from its early use as a skewer, or thin piece of wood used to hold meat together. Under the best of conditions, the growth rate of this tree is considered “medium.”. Their branches provide shelter for land and water animals. Dogwoods are used as food plants by the larvae of some species of butterflies and moths, including the emperor moth, the engrailed, the small angle shades, and the following case-bearers of the genus Coleophora: C. ahenella, C. salicivorella (recorded on Cornus canadensis), C. albiantennaella, C. cornella and C. cornivorella, with the latter three all feeding exclusively on Cornus. Extreme care is necessary to prevent trunk damage such as from construction, lawn mowers or weed cutters. Some are native to the U.S. and some are not, such as the very popular Kousa Dogwood which is native to Asia. Discover our recent challenges and successes and how you can help. The tendency of its wood to not splinter made it popular for this purpose. Be sure to plant with the root collar or top of the root ball level with the soil surface — not a bit deeper! The wood of the dogwood tree is one of the hardest and it is said that it was chosen to make the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.The origin of the name comes from the smooth, straight twigs which were used to make butchers’ skewers. The berries are eaten by many birds and mammals. Over 70 species found in the UK, from all the native trees to the common non-natives. It is one of the most beautiful smaller trees around, bringing ornamental value … However, it can tolerate both heavier soils or lighter, sandy soils if other conditions are right. We inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. Native to Wisconsin’s woodlands and forests, Pagoda Dogwood is an incredibly useful small tree or large shrub that provides year-round interest in the landscape. Dogwood is native throughout Europe, Asia and North America. The bark of all Cornus species are rich in tannins and have been used in traditional medicine as a substitute for quinine - a drug that’s used to treat malaria and babesiosis. American dogwood is a plant. The leaves are eaten by the caterpillars of some moths, including the case-bearer moth, while the flowers are visited by insects and the berries are eaten by many mammals and birds. Flowering dogwood is a small deciduous tree that blooms with white, pink, or red flowers in early spring; it is the state tree of North Carolina. Although the flowers are small and grow in flat clusters, they are lovely when they appear and the berries that form in the fall and winter are highly decorative in either white or blue colors. The fruit is sometimes used for making wine. Medicine: C. alternifolia was used to make an eye medicine by the Chippewa. People use American dogwood for headaches, fatigue, fever, and ongoing diarrhea. The damage is mainly aesthetic and does little harm to the shrub. The Kousa Dogwood is a deciduous tree that survives well in USDA zones 5-8 and is self fertile. Bright autumn foliage and red berries that linger into winter add a bold stroke of color to any landscape design. These strong trees have various features that make them well loved with those having vast estates and gardens. Spreading Holiday Cheer: How One Tree Becomes 50,000, Wildfire Restoration 101: How to Drive Recovery and Prevent Future Disaster, A New Landmark: 5 Million Tree Planters Around the Globe, Replanting Paradise: On the Ground with Kieran O’Leary, Sites where soil compaction is unavoidable, Soil that becomes excessively dry in summer, Sites exposed to salt spray or air pollution problems, Excessively hot sites such as parking lots. In the UK it can be seen growing wild along woodland edges and hedgerows. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) also is called boxwood and bunchberry. Historically, American dogwood was sometimes used for treating malaria instead of the drug quinine. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), dogwood fruit is associated with improving kidney and liver health. The timber is so hard, it was used for crucifixes. The dried root-bark is antiperiodic, astringent, diaphoretic, mildly stimulant and tonic. Dogwood is hermaphrodite, meaning the male and female reproductive parts are contained within the same flower. Shrubby species stabilize slopes and shores, protecting them from erosion. Dark green leaves, 3 to 6 inches long, turn an attractive red in fall. Rake and dispose of leaves in autumn to help sanitize the area. Transform your home into a woodland wonderland this Christmas with our easy ideas for festive, foraged home decor. Dogwood can be found in the evergreen forests or on the edges of deciduous forests. As long as you offer the tree plenty of water and sunshine, like most plants, the Dogwood will do just fine. Dogwood trees do not get very tall and are ideal for landscape plantings where small trees are desired. Shade over a deck or patio can also be a good use, and as a bonus the winter berries will attract birds to within viewing range. Find out how to spot them, the symptoms and outlook, and how you can help. Dogwood flowers provide nectar to pollinating insects and then become fruit that is sought after by birds and mammals. Likewise, they are nice near a patio. The Dogwood is a fairly common type of tree with multiple species and multiple uses. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Kousa dogwood is an excellent small specimen tree. Its bark is grey and smooth with ridges that develop over time. Skewers used to be called 'dags' or 'dogs', so the name means 'skewer wood'. We want to make sure everyone in the UK has the chance to plant a tree. Can be planted in shade or partial shade, but full sun helps prevent dogwood anthracnos fungus. They fade to a rich crimson colour before falling in autumn. Use 2 to 4 inches of wood chip mulch to help keep the soil cool and moist, and to reduce compaction. Two outstanding characteristics are the four-petaled, white flowers that appear above the foliage in June and reddish-purple fall color. The four-petalled flowers have a bad smell.Identified in winter by: newer twigs which are bright red. They are pretty used as an allee along the driveway, as … Dogwood anthracnose is a troubling disease that has become nearly epidemic since the late 1970s. Download our free Tree ID app for Android and iPhone to identify the UK's native and non-native trees. Leaf buds are black and look like bristles, forming on short stalks. The shallow root system will benefit from a layer of mulch to maintain a cool root environment. Names of Jamaican Dogwood in various languages of the world are also given. Both male and female reproductive parts are contained within the same flower. It is also a popular ornamental plant and is used in gardens to provide autumn and winter colour. Mature trees can grow to 10m. Pivot Point:  Dogwood is a visually pleasing tree to use at a point where two linear flower or ground cover beds form a right angle. Dogwood is a type of flowering tree that belongs to the family Cornaceae. In the sun the twigs are coloured crimson, but lime green in the shade. Writer-naturalist Donald Peattie once wrote, “Lovely as it is, dogwood stoops also to be useful.”. A branch would make an excellent Air wand, and small shards of wood could be ground and added to air-oriented incense blends. People make medicine from the bark. The flowers are small with four creamy white petals, and are produced in clusters. Powdery mildew, an unsightly fungal infection, doesn't usually kill the tree but probably weakens it until another pest comes along and delivers the final blow. The tendency of its wood to not splinter made it popular for this purpose. 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