British Columbia Outdoor Wilderness Guide               |   
    
			
 
                   
                     
                      
                          
                           
                           
                          PACIFIC DOGWOOD 
                          Cornus nuttalii  
                       
                      
                        - The 
                          Pacific Dogwood is also known as Western Flowering Dogwood, 
                          Mountain Dogwood  
                        
 - The 
                          theory is that 'dogwood' comes from the Sanskrit word 
                          for 'skewers' - 'dag'  
                        
 - 'Cornus' 
                          means horn and is supposedly refers to the hard wood 
                           
                        
 - 'Nuttallii' 
                          is for the botanist Thomas Nuttall  
                      
  
                       
                       UNIQUE 
                        FEATURES:  
                        
                        
                          - The 
                            Pacific Dogwood is prevented by law from being dug 
                            up or cut down  
                          
 - The 
                            Pacific Dogwood is the floral emblem of British Columbia 
                             
                          
 - The 
                            fruit attracts the birds, the fruit and foliage are 
                            a magnet for bears and beavers while the twigs are 
                            food for deer  
                        
  
                       
                       LOCATION: 
                         
                        
                        
                          - The 
                            Pacific Dogwood is found on the southern coast of 
                            BC and in central and southern Vancouver Island  
                          
 - The 
                            Pacific Dogwood grows on deep, coarse, well-drained 
                            soils  
                        
  
                       
                       SIZE: 
                         
                        
                        
                          - Up 
                            to 15 metres in height  
                          
 - The 
                            Pacific Dogwood can appear like a shrub or small tree 
                             
                        
  
                       
                       FRUIT: 
                         
                        
                        
                          - Elongated, 
                            dark, red berries  
                          
 - Edible 
                            but bitter  
                          
 - Stay 
                            on the tree after leaves have fallen  
                        
  
                       
                         
                        FLOWERS:  
                        
                        
                          - The 
                            beautiful, white flowers are in actuality four to 
                            six leaves around 30 to 40 small green flowers compacted 
                            into a 'button'  
                        
  
                       
                       LEAVES: 
                         
                        
                        
                          - Opposite, 
                            oval, pointed tips, slightly toothed edges  
                          
 - Dark 
                            green, orange in fall  
                          
 - 8 
                            to 10 cm  
                        
  
                       
                       BARK: 
                         
                        
                        
                          - Smooth, 
                            grey or brown  
                          
 - Old 
                            trees have thin small scales  
                        
  
                       
                       WOOD 
                        CHARACTERISTICS:  
                        
                        
                          - Fine 
                            grained, hard, heavy  
                        
  
                       
                       USES: 
                         
                        
                        
                          - Modern 
                            - piano keys, ornamental in gardens, emblem of BC 
                             
                          
 - Traditional 
                            - wood: bows, arrows, knitting needles; bark: tanning 
                            agent, dyes; branches: slingshots  
                        
  
                       
                       
                        
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