Which plant is known as the Flowering Dogwood?

The Flowering Dogwood is recognized as Cornus florida. This deciduous tree is native to the eastern United States and is celebrated for its stunning spring display of flowers, which are technically bracts that surround the actual tiny flowers clustered in the center. Cornus florida typically features distinct, four-petaled white or pink bracts that create a spectacular effect when the tree blooms. Additionally, after flowering, the tree produces attractive red berries in the fall, which serve as food for various birds and wildlife.

The other plants listed, while important in their own right, do not represent the Flowering Dogwood. Cornus kousa is another species of dogwood native to East Asia and has its own unique flowers and characteristics, but it is not the one specifically referred to as the Flowering Dogwood. Chamaecyparis obtusa, often known as Hinoki cypress, and Cotinus coggygria, commonly called smokebush, do not belong to the Cornus genus and are not known for flowering in the same way, making them unrelated to the Flowering Dogwood.