of New York 



113 



FLOWERING DOGWOOD 



Cornus Rotida, Linnaeus 



The Flowering Dogwood is among the best-known trees 

 of eastern North America. 



The leaves are simple, opposite, 3 to 5 inches long, 2 to 3 

 inches wide, smooth or wavy along margin, often clustered 

 at end of twigs. In autumn they become a beautiful red. 



The flowers ap- 

 pear about April in 

 greenish clusters sur- 

 rounded by large 

 white bracts. 



The fruit is a scar- 

 let berry about three- 

 fifths of an inch long, 

 arranged in clusters of 

 2 to 5. 



The bark on young 

 stems is smooth, 

 light - brown to red- 

 dish - gray; on old 

 stems becomes red- 

 dish - brown and di- 

 vides into squarish 

 blocks. 



The twigs are usu- 

 a 1 1 y smooth, red, 

 tinged with green, 

 often glossy. The 

 flower buds are gob- 

 let-like, about two- 

 fifths of an inch in 

 diameter. The wood 

 is hard, heavy, strong, 

 reddish - brown t o 



FLOWERING DOGWOOD 



One-third natural size. 



Dogwood is found from Massachusetts to Michigan, Florida 

 and Texas. It is common across central New York, north- 

 ward to Rensselaer and Saratoga counties and westward to 

 Erie county. Southward it is abundant locally. 



pinkish, 



with light 



sapwood. 



It is used 



for tool 



handles, 



shuttles, 



golf - stick 



heads. 





The 



F lo w ering 



