North Carolina State Flower
Flowering Dogwood (common name) Cornus florida (scientific name) Overview In the early 1900s, it was widely assumed that the daisy would be North Carolina’s state flower. When the matter came to a vote in 1941, however, the more distictive flowering dogwood was designated as such. Flowering dogwood are common in the eastern and south central parts of the U.S. but are particularly widespread in North Carolina. Each flower is actually a cluster of tiny yellowish green flowers that appear to be the flower’s center. This cluster is surrounded by four large, roughly heart-shaped brachts that look like the flower’s petals. The brachts are normally white, though pink and red mutations exist. The dogwood tree’s blooming season usually lasts about two weeks. The tree’s leaves are mid-green and pointed. As fall approaches, the flowers give way to clusters of bright red berries, each containing a seed, and the leaves turn a deep purple-red before falling away. The tree’s bark is grayish brown, and deeply broken into small squares. The visual effect is sometimes compared to scaly skin. Trees usually start producing fruit and seeds at about six years. Dogwwod trees can live to be 125 years old. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Duration: Perennial Plant: Small tree Mature Height: 30 ft (9 m) Flowering: April-May Flowers: .4–.8 in (1–2 cm) rounded cluster of about 20 very small flowers; surrounded by 4, 1.2-in (3 cm) long, 1-in (2.5 cm) wide petal-like bracts Flower Color: White, pink, or red Leaves: 3–6 in (7.6–15 cm) long, deep green, pointed Fruit/Seed Color: Red HABITAT Location: Well-drained moist partial shade, often in forests under hardwoods or pine. Range: Eastern and south central U.S., from Massachusetts north and west to Ontario and Michigan, south to eastern Texas and into Mexico, and east again to central Florida. TRIVIA Dogwood berries are consumed by many birds, which are important in distributing the seeds to new locations. They are poinsonous to people, however. The tree’s wood is hard and was valued by early European settlers, who used it to make household and garden tools.
	Click to enlarge an image Flowering Dogwood Flowering Dogwood Tree Close-up of Dogwood Flower Flowering Dogwood Seeds CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Superdivision: Spermatophyta Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Caryophyllidae Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Subgenus: Benthamidia Species: C. florida
	Author: World Trade Press