The Dogwood Trees of Missouri
Honey from the Dogwood
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida)
Missouri has four varieties of dogwood but flowering dogwood can be extremely spectacular. Its red berry is visible from August through November, attracting wildlife during the winter. It is usually ten to thirty ft tall and grows under full sun or partially shaded conditions based on a sunny location. Usually, dogwoods appear pink in color, and leaves turn red in autumn.
The Missouri landscape is stunning at any time but particularly during Spring. Look at the trees that we have in the vicinity. You may add native glory to your own landscapes too! Generally, native trees are advantageous because they require less moisture, are less tolerant of damage, and provide food that supports native species such as the insects that are critical to the native birds of the tropics, butterflies, beets, and other pollinators. Our native trees also support more than five thousand types of caterpillars, while imported ginkgo supports less than five species of caterpillars.
What are flowering dogwood trees used for?
Dogwood wood possesses a rare combination of exceptional hardness, strength, workability, and attractive color that makes it highly prized for specialty uses. The wood is rated at 9 on the Janka hardness scale, making it one of the hardest woods in North America. Yet despite this hardness, dogwood machines well and can be carved into intricate detail.
The dense grain gives dogwood excellent bending strength and resistance to shock and wear. This structural integrity made dogwood valued for textile shuttles and bearings on machinery that required durability. Pound for pound, its strength rivals that of white oak.
Dogwood lumber features a white to light brown colored sapwood and a ruddy brown heartwood often marked by reddish and purple hues. The uniform, fine grain takes on a satiny luster when finished. While limited in supply compared to more common species, figured dogwood with burls or crotches is especially decorative and sought-after.
This combination of hard, shock-resistant, easily workable wood that polishes to a beautiful finish makes dogwood ideal for specialty items like tool handles, golf club heads, jewelry boxes, woodturning, carvings, and printing press components. While too scarce for widespread construction use, dogwood’s properties are perfectly suited to detailed craftsmanship and applications where hardness and strength are critical. Its virtues lend well to bringing out the wood’s inherent beauty.
The Honey from a Dogwood
The dogwood tree produces a bounty of delicate, nectar-rich blossoms in spring that bees gladly flock to. Beekeepers often situate hives near dogwood groves to take advantage of this abundant floral source. The bees collect the dogwood nectar and process it into a mildly flavored, light-colored honey.
Compared to darker, bolder honey like wildflower or buckwheat, dogwood honey has a much more mild, delicate taste. The flavor is gently sweet and slightly spicy or tangy. It lacks the assertive, robust flavors of other honeys. The honey ranges in color from extra white to light amber with subtle reddish hues. The texture is thin, and the honey crystallizes slowly.
Dogwood honey is prized for its subtle flavor nuances that don’t overpower foods or drinks it sweetens. The light color also works well in baked goods where dark honey would dominate or change the appearance. The honey’s mellow, understated taste pairs well with herbal teas, yogurt, oatmeal, and vinaigrettes. It also works as an excellent all-purpose table honey. Dogwood honey is rarely found single-origin; it’s typically blended with other floral honey like black locust or clover for wider distribution. This stretching helps to use the lower yields dogwood trees produce compared to other bee-foraged plants.
While not common commercially, dogwood honey is a treasure to find for honey connoisseurs looking for delicate, gourmet-flavored honey. The dogwood blossoms yield a sweet, light taste that captures the more subtle essence of spring wildflower honey. It’s perfect for those who favor milder flavors in their honey.
