State Tree and Flower: Missouri

1
State Tree and Flower Missouri

• John Crowe

2
Flowering Dogwood

• Taxonomy Cornaceae, Cornus florida.
• Cornus Latin for Horns
• Fruit Shiny red drupe in small clusters
• Deciduous, growing up to 30 m
• Unable to self-fertilize, so breeding is
• easier
• Grows in the lower half of Missouri cultivated
  throughout.

3
April Flowers

• White bracts surround
• flower clusters

4
History

• Previously known as the American Dogwood,
  Florida Dogwood, Indian Arrowwood, Cornelian
  Tree, White Cornel, False Box, and False Boxwood
• Used in production of inks, scarlet dyes, and as
  a quinine substitute
• Hard, dense wood used for golf club heads,
  mallets, wooden rake teeth, tool handles,
  jewelers boxes and butchers blocks
• Used to treat diarrhea twigs were used to chew
  on to whiten teeth. Forerunner of the toothbrush.

5
Flowering Hawthorn

• Taxonomy Rosaceae, Crataegus monogyna
• Fruit Dark red haws (pome)
• Important for winter wildlife
• Edible by humans, used in jams
• and jellies
• Fruits contain tannins, flavonoids,
• vitamins

6
May Flowers

• Hermaphroditic corymbs
• Pollinated by midges

7
History

• Used to treat a variety of ailments improves
  circulation and used with digitalis
• Oldest living specimen in England over 700 years
  old
• 'n'er cast a clout 'til may is out'
• Serbian folklore Use hawthorn stakes to kill
  vampires
• 'When all fruit fails, welcome haws- common
  expression in Ireland
• Gaelic folklore Marks the entrance to fairy
  world. Warning extended to modern De Lorean.