Eastern Flowering Dogwoods are the stuff of springtime dreams—beloved, iconic, and unforgettable when you see them in full bloom. But these native beauties don’t stop there. In the fall, they dazzle with fiery foliage and offer high-nutrient berries to fuel migrating songbirds. Even their fallen leaves do their part, enriching the soil with calcium. Ready to fall in love with this stunning tree? Scroll on to learn more.
- Full Sun, Part Sun
- Medium Tree (30-60')
- Spring flowers
- Bird favorite
What are the benefits of planting an Eastern Flowering Dogwood?
Eastern Flowering Dogwoods are one of the 12 native dogwood species found in North America—meet all of them in our guide to native dogwoods. Planting native dogwoods delivers a lot of benefits, including:
- Support Pollinators and Wildlife: Native dogwoods provide essential nectar for pollinators like bees and butterflies in the spring and berries that sustain birds and other wildlife in the fall.
- Year-Round Beauty: Spring flowers, bright red fall leaves and bright berries in the fall add interest to your yard all year.
- Low Maintenance: Once established, native dogwoods thrive with minimal care and require fewer resources than non-native alternatives.
And two more reasons to plant an Eastern Flowering Dogwood… 🦋 🍂
Eastern Flowering Dogwoods are host plants for the Spring Azure butterfly
All native dogwoods are host plants for the stunning Spring Azure butterfly. If you need one more reason why we should plant native dogwoods like the Eastern Flowering Dogwood over non-native dogwoods—this is it. Non-native dogwoods do not provide a food source for these beautiful creatures. To help keep Blue Azures alive, we need to plant native dogwoods.
What is a host plant?
A host plant is a specific plant that a bug, butterfly, or caterpillar eats, lives on, or lays its eggs on.
And one more benefit to planting these native trees:
Let Eastern Flowering Dogwood leaves do the work for you—no raking required
When these leaves drop in the fall, they’re not just clutter; they’re natural fertilizer. As they decompose, their high calcium content enriches the soil, boosting nutrients for nearby plants. So, embrace your inner lazy gardener and let nature handle the fertilizing.
Fun fact: technically, the white flowers on Eastern Flowering Dogwoods are not flowers
If you’re into a tiny bit of botany to drop into conversation, here’s a good fact. Technically, the white petals on Eastern Dogwood Flowers are not petals—they are bracts. Bracts are modified leaf petals that look like petals.
Another plant you know already that has bract “flowers” is a poinsettia.
Where can I find an Eastern Flowering Dogwood to buy?
Thankfully, this native tree is so widespread that it’s easy to source once. Here are four full-proof ways to ensure you find a native gem for your yard:
Where can I find seeds and plants?
Finding native plants can be challenging (we partly blame Marie Antoinette.) To make it easier, we’ve assembled four sourcing ideas.
Native Nursery List
100+ native nurseries makes finding one a breeze
Online Native Plant Sellers
We've included 100+ online resources to help
Society Plant Sales
Every state has a native plant society; find yours
Online Communities
Local Facebook groups are a great plant source
And that wraps up our love letter to Eastern Flowering Dogwoods. These iconic trees are celebrated for their beautiful “flowers” (technically bracts!), but now you know they are returning four seasons of beauty and support to the world around them. The world is filled with dogwoods—let’s plant the native species and ensure we contribute meaningfully to our communities and ecosystems. Stop by our Guide to Native Dogwoods to meet the other species. Happy planting!
Sources
- Nelson, Gil. Best Native Plants for Southern Gardens: A Handbook for Gardeners, Homeowners, and Professionals, (2010).
- Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension, “Cornus Florida, Var. Rubra.” Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, former associate professor, Agricultural Engineering Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville FL 32611. (PDF.)
- Flowering Dogwood – Southern Research Station – USDA.
- C. Borer, Sarah Grace Sapp and L. H. Hutchinson. “Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.) as mediator of calcium cycling: new insights are revealed by analysis of foliar partitioning.” Trees, 27 (2013): 841 – 849. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-012-0838-9.
