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Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida

A small woodland tree with showy spring bracts, red fruit, and autumn color. Found in a wide variety of dry to moist forests and woodlands, especially over acidic substrates. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

100
Keystone

Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
15–25 feet
Spread
15–30 feet
Light
Full sun, part shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to average

Space about 22.5 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

Dogwood anthracnose. Widespread infection by the dogwood anthracnose fungus has affected this species since the 1980s. Plant caution source

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
March to May
Fruiting season
September to October

Recorded in 40 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement.

Forests and woodlands

Trail on Little Kennesaw Mountain.
Named place / source context. Shown: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia, a neighboring state.Trail on Little Kennesaw Mountain., Unidentified in HFC record, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Florida. Shared habitat, not food. 113 animals.

All wildlife of Florida

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

86CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Cornus

  • Celastrina ladonSpring Azure
  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
  • Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Ancylis muricanaRed-Headed Ancylis
Show all 86
  • Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Antispila cornifoliellaDogwood Leafminer
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips griseaGray Archips
  • Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
  • Archips rileyanaSouthern Ugly-Nest Caterpillar Moth
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Caloptilia belfragellaDogwood Caloptilia
  • Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Celastrina neglectaSummer Azure
  • Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
  • Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
  • Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena serrataThe Saw-Wing
  • Eudeilinia herminiataNorthern Eudeilinia [for Eudeilinia herminiata], Dogwood Caterpillar, Southern Eudeilinia [for Eudeilinia luteifera]
  • Eumarozia malachitanaSculptured Moth
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
  • Euthyatira pudensDogwood Thyatirid
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
  • Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hypena abalienalisWhite-Lined Bomolocha, White-Lined Snout
  • Hypena bijugalisDimorphic Bomolocha, Dimorphic Snout
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
  • Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
  • Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
  • Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
  • Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
  • Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
  • Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Rifargia subrotataSmall Heterocampa
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Synanthedon geliformisPecan Bark Borer Moth
  • Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
  • Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tortricidia pallidaRed-Cross Button Slug
  • Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
  • Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
  • Zale aeruginosaGreen-Dusted Zale
  • Zale undularisBlack Zale
  • Acleris albinivia
  • Carposina ottawana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
15BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Cornus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
4Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Benthamidia

  • Andrena fragilis
  • Andrena integra
  • Andrena persimulata
  • Andrena platyparia
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
28BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Cornus

  • Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
  • Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush
  • Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
  • Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
  • Catharus fuscescensVeery
  • Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
  • Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
  • Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
Show all 28
  • Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
  • Contopus virensEastern Wood-Pewee
  • Empidonax alnorum/trailliiAlder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)
  • Empidonax flaviventrisYellow-bellied Flycatcher
  • Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
  • Melanerpes erythrocephalusRed-headed Woodpecker
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
  • Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
  • Sayornis nigricansBlack Phoebe
  • Tachycineta bicolorTree Swallow
  • Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
  • Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
  • Vireo gilvusWarbling Vireo
  • Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
  • Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
  • Vireo philadelphicusPhiladelphia Vireo
  • Vireo solitariusBlue-headed Vireo
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Songbirds — Eat the fruit

Wild turkey — Eats the fruit

Ruffed grouse — Eats the fruit

Beetles 1
  • Molorchus bimaculatus

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Flies 4
  • Bombylius pulchellus
  • Criorhina umbratilis
  • Empis humilis
  • Lonchaea aberrans

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Adult butterflies / moths 1
  • Thanaos juvenalis

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Other wasps 1
  • Polistes pallipes

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

No records yet · Ants · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Cornaceae
Hardiness
Zones 5a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
White
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Several stems
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
September
Fruit ends
October

Keep roots cool with mulch and provide drainage. Urban heat and root stress can make it difficult to grow. NC State Extension

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “March to May” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Flower color · “White” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Fruit ends · “October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Hardiness · “Zones 5–9” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
  • Height · “About 30 feet” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Leaves · “Deciduous” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  • Leaf retention · “Deciduous” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Life cycle · “Perennial” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  • Light · “Full sun, part shade” · Virginia Cooperative Extension (ranked first; Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ) · Virginia Extension published table; original light/moisture categories
  • Soil · “medium to moderately dry” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
  • Soil pH · “Acidic” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  • Spread · “15–30 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder

Recognizing it

Four notched bracts surround tiny true flowers. Opposite leaves have veins curving toward the tip. Identification source

Also known as

Cornus florida

Conservation status

Florida rankSNR
Global rankG5
FL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Sources