Dogwood is the common name for a group of herbs, shrubs, and small trees. There are many different species (kinds) of dogwood.
The best known dogwood in North America is the flowering, or American, dogwood. It has four large whitish bracts (modified leaves) beneath its small, greenish-white flowers. The bright-red drupes (fruits) usually have two seeds. The leaves have parallel veins that curve upward, and are quite rich in calcium. The polygonal pattern of the bark and the gray, urn-shaped flower buds make the dogwood an attractive winter tree.
Flowering dogwood rarely grows more than 40 feet (12 meters) tall or 18 inches (46 centimeters) in diameter. Its wood is hard and heavy. It is the state flower of North Carolina. It is also the state tree of Missouri and the state flower and tree of Virginia. The Pacific dogwood is the provincial flower of British Columbia.
