Because of its showy, white "flowers" in spring, flowering dogwood is the most noticeable dogwood species. The "petals" of the inflorescence are actually bracts and not a part of the flowers which are yellow and clustered in the center. Other common dogwood species in this area do not have the showy white bracts. The opposite leaves of dogwoods are distinctive with their parallel veins curving around to follow the leaf margins toward the pointed tip of the leaf. The bark of dogwood is easily recognized year-round because of the small, round flakes that cover its surface. The red fruits of dogwood are also noticeable in the fall and winter.
This very distinctive species is common in the wild throughout Tennessee. It is one of the most popular native ornamental shrubs and is planted many places on Vanderbilt campus. Usually flowering dogwood is seen as a shrub or small tree, but if you are lucky you can be surprised to find tree-sized specimens towering over your head in an undisturbed forest.
Walk toward the stone wall to find the next tree, which is tall and near the wall. next tree