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			British Columbia Outdoor Wilderness Guide             |  | 
 
                   
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 PACIFIC DOGWOOD
 Cornus nuttalii
 
                        The 
                          Pacific Dogwood is also known as Western Flowering Dogwood, 
                          Mountain Dogwood  
                        The 
                          theory is that 'dogwood' comes from the Sanskrit word 
                          for 'skewers' - 'dag'  
                        'Cornus' 
                          means horn and is supposedly refers to the hard wood 
                           
                        'Nuttallii' 
                          is for the botanist Thomas Nuttall  
                       
  UNIQUE 
                        FEATURES:  
                        
                        
                          The 
                            Pacific Dogwood is prevented by law from being dug 
                            up or cut down  
                          The 
                            Pacific Dogwood is the floral emblem of British Columbia 
                             
                          The 
                            fruit attracts the birds, the fruit and foliage are 
                            a magnet for bears and beavers while the twigs are 
                            food for deer  
                          LOCATION: 
                         
                        
                        
                          The 
                            Pacific Dogwood is found on the southern coast of 
                            BC and in central and southern Vancouver Island  
                          The 
                            Pacific Dogwood grows on deep, coarse, well-drained 
                            soils  
                          SIZE: 
                         
                        
                        
                          Up 
                            to 15 metres in height  
                          The 
                            Pacific Dogwood can appear like a shrub or small tree 
                             
                          FRUIT: 
                         
                        
                        
                          Elongated, 
                            dark, red berries  
                          Edible 
                            but bitter  
                          Stay 
                            on the tree after leaves have fallen  
                           FLOWERS:  
                        
                          The 
                            beautiful, white flowers are in actuality four to 
                            six leaves around 30 to 40 small green flowers compacted 
                            into a 'button'  
                          LEAVES: 
                         
                        
                        
                          Opposite, 
                            oval, pointed tips, slightly toothed edges  
                          Dark 
                            green, orange in fall  
                          8 
                            to 10 cm  
                          BARK: 
                         
                        
                        
                          Smooth, 
                            grey or brown  
                          Old 
                            trees have thin small scales  
                          WOOD 
                        CHARACTERISTICS:  
                        
                        
                          Fine 
                            grained, hard, heavy  
                          USES: 
                         
                        
                        
                          Modern 
                            - piano keys, ornamental in gardens, emblem of BC 
                             
                          Traditional 
                            - wood: bows, arrows, knitting needles; bark: tanning 
                            agent, dyes; branches: slingshots  
                          
                        
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