Dogwood
Dogwood, common name for a family of flowering plants distributed mainly in the temperate areas of the northern hemisphere, with a few species occurring in tropical South America and Africa. Of the 14 genera in the family, only the dogwood genus is native to North America. Members of the family are mostly trees or shrubs with simple, opposite leaves. Well-known exceptions, however, are the bunch berry, a perennial herb; and the pagoda dogwood, which has alternate leaves. Dogwood flowers are small and are produced in branched terminal clusters that are sometimes surrounded by showy white bracts. Thus, the so-called petals of the familiar flowering dogwood are actually bracts. The main economic importance of dogwoods stem from their valuable ornamental species, grown for their attractive flowers, flower bracts, fruits, twigs and stems, and colorful autumn leaves. In addition to the species already mentioned, most of which are commercially grown, others commonly found in cultivation inclu