What is special about dogwood?

Dogwood flowers are most often used as symbols of rebirth. These flowers are closely connected to Christianity, so that meaning makes sense. However, dogwood flowers are also connected to durability and the ability to withstand various challenges in life and are thus used by many cultures.

Why are dogwood trees special?

The legend holds that the tree was once very large, like a Great Oak tree, and because its wood was strong and sturdy, it provided building material for a variety of purposes. According to the story, it was the dogwood tree that provided the wood used to build the cross on which Jesus was crucified.

Is dogwood good for anything?

People use American dogwood for headaches, fatigue, fever, and ongoing diarrhea. It is also used to increase strength, to stimulate appetite, and as a tonic. Some people apply American dogwood directly to the skin for boils and wounds.

What is the curse of the dogwood tree?

After Jesus died on the cross, he both cursed and blessed the dogwood. He cursed the tree by diminishing its size and tangling its branches. He blessed the tree with abundant blossoms that bloom every spring as a reminder of the resurrection of Christ.

What did Jesus say about the dogwood tree?

And in the center of the flower will be a crown--of thorns. And all who pass and see the Dogwood tree. Will remember me." Anon.

Dogwood Tree Facts

Does the Bible say anything about the dogwood tree?

“No, the dogwood doesn't grow naturally in or near Israel. It is native to Europe, eastern Asia, and North America only.” The site also says the there is not even a mention of the dogwood tree in the Bible at all.

Why is it called dogwood?

Flowering dogwood is named for the showy spring flowers. The common name dogwood comes from one colonial description of the fruit as being edible but not fit for a dog. The common name dogwood is also thought to be from the use of the wood for skewers or “dogs.” Other common names include boxwood and cornel.

Is dogwood hard or soft wood?

Comments: Dogwood has excellent shock resistance, and is one of the hardest domestic woods of the United States or Canada.

What part of dogwood is used for medicine?

Overview. American dogwood is a tree. Historically, people made medicine from the bark. American dogwood bark is still used today as medicine, but not very often.

What is the religious meaning of the dogwood?

One of the most common meanings of the dogwood tree has to do with the idea of resurrection and rebirth, typically through the story of Jesus Christ being crucified on a dogwood cross. The four petals of the flower are thought to represent the cross.

Is the dogwood legend true?

Is the Legend of the Dogwood Tree true? The Legend of the Dogwood Tree probably originated in the U.S. early in the 20th century. Alas, Flowering Dogwoods are native only to this country. They are not native to the Middle East and would not have been growing there in Jesus' time.

Do dogwood trees stink?

Also like a small child, Dogwoods can be a bit smelly, offering a strong, though not altogether unpleasant, fragrance.

Can you eat dogwood?

A Dogwood tree is a spring flowering tree that bears pink or white flowers. In the fall, bright red berries appear at the point where the leaves meet the branches. Dogwood berries are not toxic when eaten, but there have been reports of rashes after skin contact with the tree.

How did Native Americans use the dogwood tree?

Externally, the inner bark of the dogwood tree was used to heal ulcers and sores. The Cherokee chewed on the bark to relieve a headache and the Arikara mixed it with bearberry. The inner bark was also mixed with tobacco to be used in sacred pipes.

Can you make tea out of dogwood?

Flowering dogwood trees have long been used for many different medical treatments, making this a perfect medicinal plant. Indians and Southern soldiers during the Civil War used the bark to make a tea to treat pain, reduce fevers, and increase appetite.

Is dogwood a good firewood?

The wood from the dogwood tree is very dense and heavy making it a great firewood choice. What is this? With good coaling qualities and the ability to produce around 24.8 million BTUs per cord, dogwood firewood is prized among many people who heat their home with firewood.

Is dogwood good for smoking meat?

Dogwood is quite similar to Oak in its smoke flavor. 11. Grapevine cuttings add a nice flavor to fish, poultry and beef. You could achieve the same effect by soaking wood chips in an inexpensive wine before throwing the wood on the coals.

What is the hardest wood in America?

What is the hardest wood in North America? Of locally available woods, Black Ironwood is typically the strongest type of wood you can find in America. It's found in Florida and has a 3,660 lbf (16,280 N) Janka rating.

What kind of tree was Jesus crucified on?

As legend has it, the cross on which Jesus was crucified was made from a dogwood tree. God decreed that the dogwood tree would from that day forth never grow large enough to be used to make a cross.

Is the dogwood a tree or flower?

Sometimes considered the most spectacular of the native, flowering trees, flowering dogwood is a 20-40 ft., single- or multi-trunked tree with a spreading crown and long-lasting, showy, white and pink spring blooms. A lovely, small, flowering tree with short trunk and crown of spreading or nearly horizontal branches.

What is the lifespan of a dogwood tree?

A: In perfect growing circumstances, a dogwood tree can last several decades. But in spots where the roots get hot or dry in summer and where grass competes for moisture and nutrients, dogwoods typically have a 20- to 30-year life span.

What was Jesus crown made of?

On the day of his crucifixion, Jesus was stripped of all his clothing bar a loin cloth. To increase his humiliation and to mock his claim of being “king of the Jews”, he was given a crown made from local thorn bushes twisted into a circlet for his head.

Did dogwoods grow in Jerusalem?

The information center at the Ministry of Tourism in Israel was contacted to find out whether dogwoods actually grow in Jerusalem, Israel, or the surrounding areas. Their reply? "No, the dogwood doesn't grow naturally in or near Israel. It is native to Europe, eastern Asia, and North America only."

What kind of wood did the Romans use for crosses?

The point of the nail had olive wood fragments on it indicating that he was crucified on a cross made of olive wood or on an olive tree. Additionally, a piece of acacia wood was located between the bones and the head of the nail, presumably to keep the condemned from freeing his foot by sliding it over the nail.

What is the fruit of the dogwood tree called?

Dogwood berries (botanists call them drupes) are about quarter-inch to a bit more than a 1/2-inch long. In the Peach State, they mature during September and October. The scarlet red, waxy-looking berries are oblong in shape and displayed in clusters of three to six berries.