Flowering Dogwood

Image: Wikimedia Commons (See link for license)

Flowering Dogwood🌸

Cornus florida

アメリカヤマボウシ(ハナミズキ)

Share on X
ミズキ科WoodyDeciduousSpringWhite flowersStreet treeIntroducedWell-known

A deciduous small tree native to North America. It became widespread in Japan after being gifted in return for cherry trees sent by Tokyo's mayor to Washington, D.C. in 1912. Around April, four large petal-like bracts (white to pink) open before the leaves emerge. It also displays beautiful autumn foliage and red berries.

Identification Points

  • Four conspicuous petal-like bracts with notched tips (the true flowers are the small cluster in the center)
  • Bracts are white or pink
  • Leaves turn red in autumn; bears red elliptical fruits
  • Leaves are opposite with prominent arcuate venation

Habitat

Parks, streets, and gardens (planted)

Season

April (flowers); October–November (autumn foliage and fruit)

Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification

Leaf arrangement

Opposite

Leaf type

Simple

Venation

Pinnate

Leaf margin

Entire

Leaf shape

Round

Growth form

Tree

Evergreen/Deciduous

Deciduous

Petal count

4 petals

Petal fusion

Free

Flower color

White

Flowering season

Spring

Habitat

Roadside

Phylogenetic Positionミズキ科

Phylogenetic Position

Angiosperms > Eudicots > Cornales > Cornaceae

Divergence Era

Late Cretaceous to Paleogene

Evolution Notes

The enlarged bracts of the dogwood family are a pollinator-attraction strategy that makes the small true flowers appear much larger.

View on evolution timeline →
View ミズキ科 page🌿 View in taxonomy
📚樹木図鑑(ナツメ社)

Sources & References

📖Wikipedia 日本語版
🤖Claude AI生成(未確認)内容の正確性は未確認。YList・Wikipedia等での点検が必要。

AI-generated, needs verification