Mexican Flowering Dogwoods

On a recent visit to the National Arboretum in Washington DC, I saw and photographed a dogwood that was very different from all the others dogwoods in the Dogwood Garden. The petals on the flowers curved upward to form what looked like little loops! It was clearly a dogwood tree – just not one I’d seen before.

With a little research, I was able to identify it as a Mexican Flowering Dogwood – cornus florida urbiniana. Native to Eastern Mexico, these fascinating dogwoods are hardy to Zone 6-7. They are not commonly found in the United States, although they are becoming more common.

More information about this unusual dogwood, including information about the ones in the National Arboretum, can be found on the U.S. National Arboretum’s website.