Rough-leaved Dogwood (Black Diamond) Traditional Cache

Rough-leaf Dogwood is here, even though they don't show in the picture, or on the distribution map.

As always, please remember to BYOP!

Cornus drummondii

Cornus drummondii C.A. Mey.

Roughleaf dogwood, Drummond's dogwood, Rough-leaf dogwood

Cornaceae (Dogwood Family)

Synonym(s): Cornus priceae, Swida priceae

Rough-leaf dogwood is a clumping shrub or small tree, to 16 ft., with flat-topped clusters of creamy-yellow flowers and hard, white Fruit (The seed-bearing part of a plant.) on reddish brown or gray branchlets. Leaves opposite on green twigs, petioled; blades up to 4 inches long, roughly ovate with an abruptly drawn-out tip and a rounded to tapering base, smooth margins, and prominent veins bending toward the tip; upper surface sometimes slightly rough to the touch, lower slightly velvety. The upper surface of the oval leaves is covered with rough hairs while the lower surface is softly pubescent. Fall color is purplish-red. Flowers about 1/4 inch wide, cream colored, with 4 petals, numerous in broad clusters at the ends of branches, appearing from April to early June. Fruit fleshy, rounded, white, about 1/4 inch wide.

This dogwood is easily recognized by the rough, upper leaf surfaces and white fruit. It spreads from root sprouts and provides cover for wildlife; various small birds, such as Bells Vireo, nest in the thickets.

The genus cornus is Latin for a horn. The species name of this plant is named for Thomas Drummond, (ca. 1790-1835), naturalist, born in Scotland, around 1790. In 1830 he made a trip to America to collect specimens from the western and southern United States. In March, 1833, he arrived at Velasco, Texas to begin his collecting work in that area. He spent twenty-one months working the area between Galveston Island and the Edwards Plateau, especially along the Brazos, Colorado, and Guadalupe rivers. His collections were the first made in Texas that were extensively distributed among the museums and scientific institutions of the world. He collected 750 species of plants and 150 specimens of birds. Drummond had hoped to make a complete botanical survey of Texas, but he died in Havana, Cuba, in 1835, while making a collecting tour of that island.

Conditions Comments: This is a very adaptable plant and is found in nature in a variety of wet to dry situations. However it grows best in moist soils. The large showy clusters of tiny flowers provide nectar for many butterfly species. Many birds eat the white fruit clusters. Leaves turn red in the fall. Dogwoods can be afflicted with many disease and insect problems, but most of these are not serious if the plants are kept in good health. The trees colonize by suckers. Maintain this species as a tree by mowing or pulling surplus shoots.

The cache is a tied in, camoed, “micro” pill bottle, that you have to push hard to open and close. Please BYOP and return as found, including the camo.