Lushootseed name: kʷədabidac (qud-ah-da-be-dotz)

Location: This tree is tucked into the growth on the side of Rainier Vista North of Stevens Way and blends with the mass of other foliage from a distance except in spring, when its brilliant white floral display makes it stand out spectacularly.

Summary: The Pacific Dogwood is another of our lovely understory Pacific Northwest species, seldom achieving heights of more than 50 feet and preferring to live in the scattered shade of other larger trees. Although the northwest does have many species of angiosperms (flowering trees), the Dogwood is one of the few which makes such a show of it! The most notable feature of this species is its marvelous flowers, set off especially by the presence of bright specialized leaves known as bracts. These bracts are arranged around each large cluster of true flowers to creating the effect of a tree bursting white, setting off springtime in a truly stunning fashion. The leaves of the dogwood are as elegant as their floral displays, bright green with wavy edges and with very distinctive venation. The secondary veins of these leaves curve to run parallel to the leaf margin. When pulled gently apart laterally, the leaf tissue may be separated but with small silky fibers still connecting the two halves at each vein (this is a way one can identify all dogwoods). A more delicate beauty, this tree is susceptible to disease and to drought, which can result in the leaves looking extremely droopy after a summer heat spell. This is exacerbated when landscape architects and developers, failing to understand the ecology of the plants they incorporate into their designs, plant understory trees like the Pacific Dogwood in hot and exposed locations that are very unlike the partial shade of the forest understory to which they are adapted.

The foliage and fruit of this species are rich in nutrients, making them a wonderful fertilizing compost when broken down into soil. Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest discovered that the bark of our native Dogwood may be used as a tanning agent, while the bark and roots may be utilized to make a black or red dye. The drupes of the species are also traditionally consumed as a rather tangy food source (and are better when mixed with something else).

Historical Background: The common name “dogwood” may refer to its historic use to make "dags", or wooden nails. The ability to serve as such a tool springs from the incredible hard wood of this species, which also makes it valuable for the creation of tools. The Nlaka’pamux, a First Nations group in British Columbia with traditional territories in the Northern Cascades of Washington strip and boil the bark to make a brown dye. Wood was also used for making piano parts and thread spindles, but has been prohibited in British Columbia. 

Pacific Northwest Native

Native Range: Western North America

Identifying Features light: Pacific Dogwoods grow shorter than their coniferous associates into a generally dense rounded crown.  Perhaps the most distinctive feature of this tree are its large white flowers which appear in spring and which are actually not flowering bodies but specialized leaves known as bracts. The true flowers are located in the center of these 4-7 bracts, and are a greenish yellow 4 petaled body clustered together with others. The leaves are opposite and elliptical shiny green and distinguished by distinctive curved veins which run parallel to the edge of the leaf.

Identifying Features In Depth:

1. Form: Small tree up to 50 feet high and at most around a foot in diameter at the base. Crown is conic and open, with branches generally horizontal.

2. Leaves: Opposite, about 6-11cm in length and 3-7cm wide, shiny green and almost hairless on top with pale wooly hairs beneath. Bracts are creamy opening in early May, 4-7 arranged around the flowers.

3. Bark: Reddish brown to gray and smooth, thin to scaly.

4. Reproductive Bodies: 6mm wide and crowded with 4 greenish yellow petals in the center of the bracts give way to elliptical red/orange fruit 12mm long with a thin bitter pulp and 1-2 seeds crowded together in the head in most cases. Fruit matures in autumn.