Dogwood Florida Ruba

Dogwood florida Ruba Zone: 5 to 9 Plant Type: Tree Family: Cornaceae Missouri Native: Yes Native Range: Eastern North America Height: 15 to 30 feet Spread: 15 to 30 feet Bloom Time: April - May Bloom Data Bloom Color: Pink to reddish pink bracts with yellowish-green centers. Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Medium This flowering dogwood is a small, deciduous tree which typically grows 15-30' (infrequently to 40') with a low-branching, broadly pyramidal but somewhat flat-topped habit. Native to Missouri, but rarely seen in the wild, this pink-flowered variation of the Missouri State tree (Cornus florida, C280) blooms in early spring shortly after, but usually overlapping, the bloom period of the redbuds. The true flowers of this dogwood are actually tiny, yellowish green and insignificant, being compacted into button-like clusters. However, each flower cluster is surrounded by four showy, pink to reddish pink, petal-like bracts which open flat, giving the appearance of a single, large, 3-4" diameter, four-petaled, pink flower. In autumn, the oval, dark green summer leaves (3-6" long) turn a dull yellow mottled with green and rose, gradually changing to a uniform deep rose. Bright red fruits (poisonous to humans, but loved by birds) mature in early fall and usually persist until the middle of December. The reddish brown wood is extremely hard, and has been used to make tool handles.