dogwood

A deciduous shrub or small tree (Cornus sanguinea), growing to 6 m/20 ft, native to Europe, SW Asia, and North America; leaves oval, in opposite pairs, turning purple in autumn, veins prominent; flowers small, numerous, in flat-topped clusters; petal-like bracts, white, pink, red; berries black. Related ornamental species from China and North America have crimson young stems. (Family: Cornaceae.)

The Dogwoods comprise a group of 30-50 species of deciduous woody plants (shrubs and trees) in the family Cornaceae, divided into one to nine genera or subgenera (depending on botanical interpretation). Cornus chinensis (Chinese Cornel). Cornus mas (European Cornel or Cornelian-cherry). Cornus officinalis (Japanese Cornel). Cornus sessilis (Blackfruit Cornel). Cornus alba (Swida alba; Cornus alternifolia (Swida alternifolia; Pagoda Dogwood or Alternate-leaf Dogwood). Cornus amomum (Swida amomum; Cornus asperifolia (Swida asperifolia; Cornus austrosinensis (Swida austrosinensis; Cornus bretschneideri (Swida bretschneideri; Cornus controversa (Swida controversa; Cornus coreana (Swida coreana; Cornus drummondii (Swida drummondii; Cornus glabrata (Swida glabrata; Brown Dogwood or Smooth Dogwood). Cornus hemsleyi (Swida hemsleyi; Cornus koehneana (Swida koehneana; Cornus macrophylla (Swida macrophylla; Cornus obliqua (Swida obliqua; Cornus paucinervis (Swida paucinervis). Cornus racemosa (Swida racemosa; Northern Swamp Dogwood or Gray Dogwood). Extreme southeast Canada and northeast U.S. Cornus rugosa (Swida rugosa; Southeast Canada and extreme northeast U.S. Cornus sanguinea (Swida sanguinea; Cornus sericea (C. Cornus stricta (Swida stricta; Southeast U.S. Cornus walteri (Swida walteri; Cornus wilsoniana (Swida wilsoniana; Cornus canadensis (Chamaepericlymenum canadense; Cornus suecica (Chamaepericlymenum suecicum; Cornus × unalaschkensis (hybrid C. Cornus capitata (Benthamidia capitata; Cornus florida (Benthamidia florida; Cornus hongkongensis (Benthamidia hongkongensis; Cornus kousa (Benthamidia kousa; Cornus nuttallii (Benthamidia nuttallii; Dogwoods are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Emperor Moth, The Engrailed, Small Angle Shades and the following case-bearers of the genus Coleophora: C. salicivorella (recorded on Cornus canadensis), C.

The dogwood is the provincial flower of the Canadian province of British Columbia.

The dogwood (Cornus florida) is the state flower and the state tree for the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States.

Popular legend has it that wood from the dogwood was used to construct the cross on which Christ was crucified.