Bloomipedia
Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
Photo: Austin Pursley via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a shrub or small tree in the Cornaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

★ Official state flower of North Carolina (1941)★ Official state flower of Virginia (1918)Native in the lower 48

Flowering dogwood is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 18 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

31states where USDA records it
18Bloomipedia state lists include it
43,848U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

🏅
North Carolina's official state flower since 1941. Visit the North Carolina page → N.C.G.S. § 145-1
🏅
Virginia's official state flower since 1918. Visit the Virginia page → Code of Virginia § 1-510

Quick look

Cornus florida, the flowering dogwood or American dogwood, is a species of flowering tree in the family Cornaceae native to eastern North America and northern Mexico. An endemic population once spanned from southernmost coastal Maine south to northern Florida and west to the Mississippi River.

  • It belongs to the Cornaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 31 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
  • In Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as early spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 30 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 5,404 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #15 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 5,089 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #24 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,627 research-grade sightings of it in Maryland, ranking #30 among the 189 flowers on our Maryland list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (4,006 records)
Bloom time in the 18 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
North CarolinaNativeMarch–April5,404
VirginiaNativeApril5,089
MarylandNativeApril–May3,627
PennsylvaniaNativeApril–May3,159
OhioNativeApril–May3,114
TennesseeNativeMarch–April2,544
GeorgiaNativeMarch–April2,174
New JerseyNativeApril–May1,830
MissouriNativeApril–May1,714
ArkansasNativeMarch–April1,481
AlabamaNativeMarch–April1,407
KentuckyNativeApril1,186
South CarolinaNativeMarch–April1,147
IndianaNativeApril–May1,139
West VirginiaNativeApril–May713
OklahomaNativeMarch–April467
MississippiNativeMarch–April386
DelawareNativefew records (21)239

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 11 of our 18 states.
See each state
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. COMAR 08.03.08
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: S5, secure in Pennsylvania. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: S5, secure in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
New Jersey
Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe: S5, secure in New Jersey. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Delaware
Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: S5, secure in Delaware. DE rare plants 2024
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Indiana.
West Virginia
No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in West Virginia.
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: KS (S1), ME (S1), VT (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records flowering dogwood in 31 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Carteret, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Chowan, Clay, Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, Hoke, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Martin, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Watauga, Wayne, Wilkes, Wilson, Yadkin, Yancey.

Virginia counties with USDA records: Accomack, Albemarle, Alleghany, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Arlington, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buchanan, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Carroll, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesapeake , Chesterfield, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Essex, Fairfax, Fauquier, Floyd, Fluvanna, Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Gloucester, Goochland, Grayson, Greene, Greensville, Halifax, Hampton , Hanover, Henrico, Henry, Highland, Isle of Wight, James City, King George, King William, King and Queen, Lancaster, Lee, Loudoun, Louisa, Lunenburg, Madison, Mathews, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Montgomery, Nelson, New Kent, Newport News , Northampton, Northumberland, Nottoway, Orange, Page, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Prince William, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Richmond, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Southampton, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Suffolk , Surry, Sussex, Tazewell, Virginia Beach , Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, Wise, Wythe, York.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Flowering dogwood a low shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.8 to 7.7 and winter lows down to -28 °F.

Shade tolerance
Low
Drought tolerance
Low
Moisture use
Low
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium
Soil pH range
4.8 to 7.7
Minimum temperature tolerated
-28 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
160
Annual precipitation range
28 to 80 inches
Minimum root depth
18 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
Short
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Red · Spring to Fall
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for COFL2. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Benthamidia florida, Cynoxylon floridum.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1355 counties across 30 states; the most are in Kentucky (118), Virginia (100), North Carolina (91).

Other Cornus on Bloomipedia (9): Canadian bunchberry, Red osier dogwood, Roughleaf dogwood, Alternate-leaved dogwood, Western bunchberry, Silky dogwood, Cornelian cherry, Kousa dogwood, Swedish cornel.

More North Carolina flowers

Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa)

Kousa dogwood

Cornus kousa

🌷 Flowering tree

🌷 Grown in North Carolina gardens
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas)

Cornelian cherry

Cornus mas

🌷 Flowering tree

🌷 Grown in North Carolina gardens
Crane-fly orchid (Tipularia discolor)

Crane-fly orchid

Tipularia discolor

Native

🌼 Blooms in NC: July–August

Sources