Dogwood - Definition and Overview

Dogwood
Cornus florida in flower early May in Pittsburgh, PA
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: 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.

• (Sub)genus Cornus (Cornels; 4 species)
  • Cornus chinensis (Chinese cornel). China.
  • Cornus mas (European Cornel or Cornelian-cherry). Mediterranean.
  • Cornus officinalis (Japanese cornel). Japan.
  • Cornus sessilis (Blackfruit cornel or Blackfruit dogwood). California.

• (Sub)genus Benthamidia (Flowering dogwoods; 5 species)
  • Cornus capitata (Benthamidia capitata; Himalayan flowering dogwood). Himalaya.
  • Cornus florida (Benthamidia florida; Flowering dogwood). Eastern North America.
  • Cornus kousa (Benthamidia kousa; Kousa dogwood). Japan & (as var. chinensis) China.
  • Cornus nuttallii (Benthamidia nuttallii; Pacific dogwood). Western North America.
  • Cornus urbaniana (Benthamidia urbaniana; Mexican dogwood). Mexico.

• (Sub)genus Swida (Dogwoods; about 20 species, including)
  • Cornus alba (Swida alba; Siberian dogwood). Siberia & China.
  • Cornus alternifolia (Swida alternifolia; Alternate-leaf dogwood). Eastern North America.
  • Cornus controversa (Swida controversa; Table dogwood). East Asia.
  • Cornus glabrata (Swida glabrata; Brown dogwood or Smooth dogwood). Western North America.
  • Cornus macrophylla (Swida macrophylla; Large-leafed dogwood). East Asia.
  • Cornus racemosa (Swida racemosa; Gray dogwood). Eastern North America.
  • Cornus rugosa (Swida rugosa; Round-Leaf dogwood). Eastern North America.
  • Cornus sanguinea (Swida sanguinea; Common dogwood). Europe.
  • Cornus stolonifera (Swida stolonifera; Red-osier dogwood). Northern North America.
  • Cornus drummondii (Swida drummondii; Roughleaf dogwood). North and south central North America

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.