Cornus florida var. rubra: Pink-Flowering Dogwood

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Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson2

Introduction
The state tree of Virginia, Flowering Dogwood grows 20 to 30 feet tall and spreads 20 to 25 feet. It can be trained with one central trunk or as a picturesque multi-trunked tree. The flowers consist of four bracts which subtend the small head of yellow flowers. The bracts are a light pink, and fall color depends on seed source but on most sun grown plants will be red to maroon. Fall color is more vivid in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8a. The bright red fruits are often eaten by birds. Branches on the lower half of the crown grow horizontally, those in the upper half are more upright. In time, this can lend a strikingly horizontal impact to the landscape, particularly if some branches are thinned to open up the crown. Lower branches left on the trunk will droop to the ground, creating a wonderful landscape feature.

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