The Flowering Dogwood is the Virginia State Tree and Flower. There are
forty different types of Dogwood, fifteen of those being native to North
America and Canada. The American dogwood is one of the commonest trees
of the Middle Atlantic and southern states. It grows from New England west
to Minnesota and south. Dogwoods are popular because of their large, showy
flowers. Virginia adopted the Flowering Dogwood as its state tree and flower.
The scientific name for the Flowering Dogwood is the Cornus Florida. The
Flowering Dogwood is also North Carolina's state flower, and Missouri's
State Tree. The Flowering Dogwood rarely grows more than forty feet
high. In the fall , the upper part of the leaves turns scarlet or orange
and bright red fruits grow on the tree. This popular plant
has been known by many names, including false boxwood, cornelian tree,
Florida dogwood, spindle tree, bird cherry, and Nature’s mistake.