White Dogwood Trees
If you live on the American east coast, you have seen the dazzling sight of a tree thickly blanketed with white blooms in spring. This is the white dogwood tree, whose history and attributes make it one of America's most recognizable and beloved trees.
Where does it thrive?
The white dogwood is native to the Eastern United States and has been a resident since 1731. George Washington adorned the grounds of Mount Vernon with it.
It thrives in well-watered soil that is rich in organic nutrients. It is best suited for regions that experience at least moderate rainfall rather than arid regions, where it will need to be frequently irrigated. It prefers slightly acidic soil, loam, and clay.
The tree grows best in an enormous tree's partial or dappled shade. But it requires at least four hours of direct sunlight. Partial shade is important because prolonged exposure to harsh sunlight can dry out its shallow roots. It can be planted near oak, tulip poplar, or witch hazel.
What are the attributes of a White Dogwood tree?
The white dogwood exudes a different kind of beauty in each season. In the spring, it is engulfed in a cloud of white blossoms, leaf-like bracts surrounding each flower. Its bright green foliage develops pretty white or yellow patterns in the summer. In the fall, it is aflame with purple-red leaves and yields scarlet berries on which birds can feast. In the winter, its bark and bare branches assume a gnarled and wizened look.
It can grow up to 25 feet and spread to the same breadth. Its height increases at a rate of 13 - 24 inches a year.
It requires minimal pruning. Dead branches should be culled in winter, and light pruning is needed to maintain their rounded shape.
The dogwood also comes in pink and red varieties. The white dogwood can be planted next to them or with evergreen trees to create a nice contrast.
What are the benefits of growing White Dogwood Trees?
The splendor of the white dogwood tree is matched by its practical value. It provides nutrition to a wide range of fauna. Several mammals like deer, rabbits, chipmunks, foxes, beavers, and black bears consume its foliage. Its bright red fruit sustains a variety of birds like wild turkey, grouse, quail, and thirty-three others.
Its bark possesses medicinal value. Native Americans used to brew tea from it. During the Civil War, it was used as a substitute when quinine was scarce. The tannin-rich bark is a natural remedy for mild disorders like aches and pains, dizziness, and fever. It was also used to treat types of internal bleeding.
It owes its name to daggers being fashioned from its stern, unyielding bark during medieval times. It became known as "dagwood," which led to the derivative "dogwood." It is also used as a material in weavers' looms, tools like chisels, and the heads of golf clubs.
The state tree of Virginia and Missouri, the white dogwood or Cornus Florida, is a perfect choice of natural ornamentation for your yard. You can gaze upon its beauty and watch it change with the seasons.
