Introduction
Dogwood trees are a group of flowering trees and shrubs native to North America and East Asia. The most well-known dogwood species in North America is the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), prized for its showy springtime flowers and reddish fall foliage. Dogwoods produce berry-like fruit that are important food sources for wildlife. While most dogwood berries are red, there are a few species that produce white berries, like the pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) native to western North America. The white berries of these select dogwood trees are eye-catching in the landscape when they mature in late summer. This article will provide an overview of dogwood trees and their berries, focusing on the key species that produce white berries.
Dogwood Species Native to North America
There are several notable dogwood species that are native to North America. Three of the most well-known include:
Flowering Dogwood
The flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is one of the most popular and beautiful dogwood species. It is found throughout eastern North America and known for its showy spring blooms. The inflorescences consist of small yellowish-green flowers surrounded by four large white bracts that resemble petals. These bracts give the flowering dogwood its distinct flower-like appearance (GreenLeaf Park Interpretive Trail).
Pacific Dogwood
The Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) is native to western North America from British Columbia to California. It is quite similar to the flowering dogwood, producing white flower bracts in spring. However, its leaves have prominent veins compared to the flowering dogwood and its berries are red instead of white (USDA Forest Service).
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood
The cornelian cherry dogwood (Cornus mas) is a small tree or large shrub species native to eastern North America. In early spring, it produces clusters of tiny yellow flowers, followed by red oblong berries in late summer that are edible. Its berries make it distinct from other dogwood species in North America (Missouri Botanical Garden).
Flowering Dogwood
The most common and widespread dogwood species throughout much of the eastern United States is the flowering dogwood (Cornus Florida). Flowering dogwood is a small deciduous tree that blooms in spring, with showy white (or sometimes pink) petal-like bracts. It is found naturally growing in woodlands, forest edges, and open fields from southern Maine all the way to northern Florida and eastern Texas (“Dogwood Tree Facts”).
Flowering Dogwood Berries
One of the most beloved and iconic features of the flowering dogwood are the vibrant berries that emerge in late summer and fall. The berries begin growing in early summer after the dogwood’s showy spring blooms have faded. At first they are small and green, gradually enlarging and transforming into a striking bright red color by early autumn.
The red berries stand out vividly against the dogwood’s green leaves, often covering the branches in a splash of fall color. They provide a vital source of food for birds and other wildlife as the seasons change. The berries usually persist on the trees into winter, sometimes sticking around until early spring to provide winter forage.
While the flowering dogwood is prized for its spring blossoms, the emergence of the red berries is an equally anticipated event each year. The blazing red clusters signal summer’s end and the start of fall. They are one of the signature sights of the changing seasons, ensuring this treasured tree offers ornamental beauty year-round.
Pacific Dogwood
The Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) is a west coast species of dogwood native to the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It grows along the coast from British Columbia down to northern California.
The Pacific dogwood produces small round white berries in late summer that resemble pearl-like beads. Though not widely consumed, the Pacific dogwood berries are technically edible, but often described as hard, mealy, and bitter tasting.
The berries have thin flesh and contain several small seeds. They are not poisonous, but not very palatable. The berry’s flavor has been described as chalky and bland, though not very offensive. They are extremely hard and crunchy with little juice.
Pacific dogwood berries can be eaten raw straight from the tree, but they are not choice edibles that most people seek out. Some enjoy them out of curiosity or as survival food. They may also be used in jams, preserves or wines if desired.
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood
The Cornelian cherry dogwood (Cornus mas) is a medium-sized deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to central and southern Europe into western Asia. It is known for its small yellow flowers in late winter to early spring. The flowers eventually give way to red oval or oblong berries in late summer that can be eaten fresh or used to make jams, syrups, and beverages. The species is also known as the Cornelian cherry for its cherry-like fruits.
According to Plant Profile: Cornelian Cherry, Cornus Mas, the berries are quite sour when unripe. However, they develop a tart and sweet flavor when fully ripe in late summer. The bright red berries can be eaten raw off the bush as a foraging snack or processed into various foods and drinks.
The Cornelian cherry dogwood produces an abundance of fruit, so the berries can be harvested in bulk for culinary uses. They are high in vitamin C and can be used similarly to cranberries in recipes. Popular ways to use Cornelian cherry dogwood berries include jams, fruit spreads, sauces, syrups, beverages, and even wine.
Other Dogwood Species
There are several other notable dogwood species beyond the flowering and Pacific dogwoods:
Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa) – Native to Asia, the Kousa dogwood is an ornamental landscape tree that produces edible fruits. It has showy white flowers in spring. The raspberry-like fruits have a bumpy red skin and soft pink flesh inside. They are edible when ripe in late summer.
Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) – Also known as alternate-leaf dogwood, this small understory tree has distinctive horizontal branching that gives it a pagoda-like shape. It produces creamy white flowers in spring but they are much less showy than other dogwoods. The blue-black berries are bitter and inedible.
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood (Cornus mas) – Native to Europe and Asia, this dogwood naturally hybridizes with C. officinalis. It is grown mainly for its small red oblong fruits that are edible and rich in vitamin C. The fruits can be eaten fresh or made into preserves, juices, wines, and liqueurs.
Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) – A medium to large shrub native to wetlands in eastern North America. It has greenish-white flowers in spring. The blue berries are quite sour and generally not eaten by humans.
Kousa Dogwood
The Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa) is a common landscaping tree, originating from Asia. It produces edible berry-like fruits in the summer. The Kousa Dogwood berries start out green and ripen to a dark red/orange color in late summer. They have a sweet yet sour taste and can be eaten raw off the tree or used in jams, jellies, pies, wine, and vinegar.
According to Specialty Produce, “Once ripened, the berries offer a sweet yet tart flavor with subtle notes of apricot and mango.”
The berries are packed with antioxidants and vitamin C. Kousa Dogwood trees are known for their resistance to diseases that affect other dogwood species.
While the berries are edible for humans, some consider them unpalatable. The berries offer food for birds and other wildlife late in the season.
Kousa Dogwood Berries
The Kousa dogwood, also known as the Chinese dogwood or Korean dogwood, produces edible berries that are typically red or pink in color, but can also be white or green depending on the cultivar. The berries usually appear in summer and can persist on the tree into fall.
According to Specialty Produce, the berries are oval, resemble large raspberries, and have a bumpy texture with a crisp sweet-tart taste. They advise selecting berries that are bright red in color and soft to the touch for peak ripeness and flavor.
The Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences notes that the red Kousa dogwood berries are technically aggregates of many tiny individual fruits. Each berry contains several hard seeds that should not be eaten.
While the Kousa dogwood berries can be eaten raw, they are often used in jams, syrups, pies, juices, and other culinary applications. Their sweet-tart flavor has been described as a mix of mango, pear, and apricot.
In terms of appearance, Kousa dogwood berries typically ripen a pinkish red, however some cultivars produce white, green, or yellow berries. The unusual fruit colors add unique interest to the late summer landscape.
Conclusion
Of the common dogwood species, flowering dogwood and Pacific dogwood are the ones that produce white berries. Flowering dogwood produces red berries that turn white as they mature in early fall, while Pacific dogwood produces white berries that sometimes have a pink blush. Both of these dogwoods are native to North America.
Other dogwood species may also produce white berries, depending on the cultivar. For example, some varieties of Kousa dogwood produce white berries instead of the typical red ones. But in general, flowering dogwood and Pacific dogwood are considered the classic North American dogwoods that bear white berries.
In summary, if you are looking for a dogwood with distinctive white berries, opt for either flowering dogwood or Pacific dogwood. Make sure to give them adequate sun, well-drained soil, and mulch to help them thrive and produce their showy white berries.