CORNACEAE
Blue Dogwood. Alternate-leaved Dogwood
Cornus alternifolia L. f.
HABIT.—A small tree or large shrub reaching a height of 25-30 feet and a trunk diameter of 6-8 inches; more often smaller than this. The long, slender branches are arranged in irregular whorls, forming flat, horizontal tiers, giving the tree a storied effect.
LEAVES.—Mostly alternate and clustered at the ends of the branchlets; simple, 3-5 inches long, 2-1/2-3 inches broad; oval or ovate, long-pointed, wedge-shaped at the base; obscurely wavy-toothed; thin; dark green, nearly glabrous above, paler and covered with appressed hairs beneath, turning yellow and scarlet in autumn; petioles slender, grooved, hairy, with clasping bases.
FLOWERS.—May-June, after the leaves; perfect; borne on slender pedicels in many-flowered, irregular, open cymes from the season’s shoots; calyx cup-shaped, obscurely 4-toothed, covered with fine, silky, white hairs; petals 4, cream colored; stamens 4; ovary 2-celled.
FRUIT.—October; a globular, blue-black drupe, borne in loose, red-stemmed clusters; flesh bitter.
WINTER-BUDS.—Leaf-buds small, acute, light brown; flower-buds spherical or vertically flattened.
BARK.—Twigs greenish or reddish, becoming smooth, dark green; thin, dark red-brown and shallowly fissured on the trunk.
WOOD.—Heavy, hard, close-grained, red-brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.