Dogwood Blossom
Facts about the Dogwood Blossom
The Dogwood blossom is without a doubt one of the most intriguing buds around. The fact that it comes from a tree, and not a flower or a plant, makes it all the more interesting. There are few things as lovely as a meadow filled with the Dogwood blossom-whether they are pink or white or red.
When the Dogwood blossom appears in the springtime, it means that the Dogwood tree’s reproductive cycle has started. Although they are just showing up for the first time in the spring, they have really been around since the previous summer when they first developed. During the wintertime, they stayed inside the bract, or the colored leaves.
The Dogwood blossom itself is not the colorful petals, but the tiny bit of seed-like elements that are found in the very center of the bloom. The blossoms appear to be a crown of florets that are greenish-yellow. The colored leaves around the blossoms can be anywhere from white to pink to even a reddish hue. In order to encourage the blossoms to emerge, the blossoms often need to be pollinated by bees.
Many people choose to use the Dogwood tree in their landscaping projects due to the beauty of the blossoms and leaves that the trees produce. In the south, the Dogwood trees can be as tall as 40 feet, while in the north they tend to be shorter. In addition, in the south they usually bloom around March, while in the north they can mostly be seen blooming in June on account of the cooler weather that the north has.
As mentioned before, the blossoms have a range of colors. The Cherokee Chief has red flowers, while the Apple Blossom variety has pink flowers. The White Cloud tree, however, tends to produce white flowers. All of them are very lovely to look at.
The Dogwood blossom is also part of a certain mythology concerning Christianity, too. According to the story, the Dogwood once grew very tall and had strong wood. It was used to build Jesus’ cross and as a result, God supposedly made the tree smaller so that it could never be used for that purpose again. The colored leaves are now in the shape of a cross, with the blossom in the center representing the thorny crown that Jesus wore.
If you wish to plant your own Dogwood, tree then you must keep in mind that the flowering Dogwood has to be handled with care. It requires proper care and good soil. It also needs good fertilization and needs to be watered regularly during periods that are very dry. The bark is not very strong and can be damaged quite easily so taking care when using lawnmowers and weed eaters is advised. Once the bark is damaged, the tree can become susceptible to disease and insects that can harm it.
It is essential that if you want to plant a flowering Dogwood with beautiful blossoms that you don’t take one from the wild and transplant it. These can contain fungi and be diseased. Instead, choose your tree from a nursery to ensure that it is of good stock.
They do best when they are planted in the springtime when the ground is moist and the air is cool. They like soil that is somewhat acidic. If the tree is balled and burlapped, then it shouldn’t be planted deeper than the exposed stem. After the tree is in the hole, then it should be backfilled using either the original soil or a mixture of organic material and soil. Mulch should then be added on top of the soil.