{"id":5967,"date":"2019-02-19T16:59:11","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T22:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/?p=5967"},"modified":"2019-04-02T10:15:14","modified_gmt":"2019-04-02T15:15:14","slug":"dogwood-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/2019\/02\/19\/dogwood-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Dogwood"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Dogwoods<\/h1>\n

by Joshua Heston<\/strong><\/p>\n

The flowering dogwood has come to symbolize the Ozarks \u2014 as well as the Upper South \u2014 which isn\u2019t really a surprise.
\nThere are few scenes prettier than an Ozark mountainside in April.<\/p>\n

The dogwoods \u2014 white, pink, and red \u2014 mingle with the redbud and wild plum beneath the white oaks and hickory.
\nIt is interesting to note the actual flowers of the dogwood are really quite inconspicuous.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5938″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]Green and yellow, the true flowers form the center of what we think of as the dogwood flower. The colored petals are really specialized leaves called bracts. Many cultivars of Cornus florida<\/em> exist, which explains the diversity of springtime color.<\/p>\n

The flowering dogwood has also come to symbolize Christianity. And though clearly only a legend, this is a story that still bears telling….<\/p>\n

\u2014 originally published NOVEMBER 16, 2008<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5944″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The Legend of the Dogwood<\/h1>\n

Before the crucifixion of Jesus, the dogwood was a great, majestic tree, rivaling even the oaks and cedars of Lebanon. Because the wood was dense and fine, it was used as lumber throughout the region. As such, it was chosen for the cross upon which Jesus was nailed.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5939″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]The dogwood, along with all Creation, sorrowed at this. In His compassion, God changed the tree so that it would never again be used for such a purpose. From then on, it would never grow large enough to be used for a cross. However, in reminder of the crucifixion, the flowers would form the shape of the cross \u2014 and on the outer edges, nail prints would appear, stained with both rust and blood.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5940″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]Lastly, in memory of that day and of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, at the center of each flower would appear a crown of thorns, in order that those who viewed the tree each Easter would never forget.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5941″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The Mountain Dogwood<\/h1>\n

by Joshua Heston<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dogwood varieties are pretty. And it is hard to argue against the logic of creating domesticated cultivars, exhibiting earlier, larger blooms and sporting all sorts of enticing colors.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5942″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]And yet, to see wild dogwoods \u2014 uncultivated and unplanned, heralding the spring season on an Ozark mountainside? It is a reminder that all our horticultural planning pales in comparison with nature.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Originally published APRIL 16, 2009<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5943″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

FLOWERING DOGWOOD (Cornus florida<\/em>)<\/h1>\n

SIZE: 20-30 feet tall; leaves 3-5 inches long. WHAT TO LOOK FOR: leaves oval, with veins curving toward pointed tip; flowers with 4 showy white petal-like bracts; fruits red, berry-like, in clusters. HABITAT: deciduous forests in well-drained soils.<\/p>\n

\u2014 page 317, Wernett, Susan J., et al. North American Wildlife<\/strong><\/em>. The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc., 1986.[\/vc_column_text][vc_text_separator title=”Story Credits” title_align=”separator_align_left”][bsf-info-box icon=”Defaults-pencil” icon_size=”32″ title=”by Joshua Heston”][\/bsf-info-box][bsf-info-box icon=”Defaults-camera” icon_size=”32″ title=”by Joshua Heston”]ALL PHOTO CREDITS: J. HESTON. LOCATION: MINCY-DRURY CONSERVATION AREA \/ BEAR DEN CAVE MOUNTAIN, TANEY COUNTY, MISSOURI \u2022 SOTO \u00a9 ARCHIVE \u2022 04\/10\/09, 04\/11\/09 AND 04\/15\/09[\/bsf-info-box][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Dogwoods by Joshua Heston The flowering dogwood has come to symbolize the Ozarks \u2014 as well as the Upper South \u2014 which isn\u2019t really a surprise. There are few scenes prettier than an Ozark mountainside in April. The dogwoods \u2014 white, pink, and red \u2014 mingle with the redbud and wild plum beneath the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5937,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1036,581,905],"tags":[151],"class_list":["post-5967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ozarktrees","category-sotofeature","category-sotonaturalheritage","tag-dogwood","category-1036","category-581","category-905","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5967"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5984,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5967\/revisions\/5984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}