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Dogwood


Cornus florida in flower
early May in Pittsburgh, PA
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Phylum:Magnoliophyta
Class:Magnoliopsida
Order:Cornales
Family:Cornaceae
Genus:Cornus
Subgenus
Cornus
Benthamidia
Swida

Dogwoods are one to three genera (depending on botanical interpretation) of deciduous shrubs and trees in the family Cornaceae.

Cornus florida
Dogwood berries encased in ice
Hemingway, South Carolina

The name 'dogwood' is a corruption of 'dagwood', from the use of the slender stems of very hard wood for making 'dags' (daggers, skewers). The wood was also highly prized for making the shuttles of looms, for tool handles, and other small items that required a very hard and strong wood.

The fruit of several species in the subgenera Cornus and Benthamidia is edible, though without much flavour. The berries of those in subgenus Swida are mildly toxic to people, though readily eaten by birds.

Cornales



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