American Dogwood

At a glance

Origin / distribution: US, US(Amerindian)

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Astringent, Cancer(Breast), Cholera, Dentifrice

Science studied: BETULINIC-ACID, CALCIUM, GALLIC-ACID, PHOSPHORUS

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Cornaceae

Scientific name: Cornus florida

Common names: American Dogwood, American Boxwood, American-boxwood, Arrowwood, Blomkornoelie, Blumen-Hartriegel, Blüten-Hartriegel, Cornizo-florido, Cornouiller fleuri, Corona de San Pedro, Dogwood, Eastern Flowering Dogwood, Florida Dogwood, Florida Kızılcığı, Flowering Cornel, Flowering Dogwood

POWO: 271574-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Elsewhere, US, US(Amerindian).

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Astringent
• Cancer(Breast)
• Cholera
• Dentifrice
• Fever
• Liver
• Malaria
• Stomatitis

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Elsewhere
• US
• US(Amerindian)

Documented cultural uses

• Astringent
• Cancer(Breast)
• Cholera
• Dentifrice
• Fever
• Liver
• Malaria
• Stomatitis
• Tonic
• Vermifuge
• Cathartic
• Jaundice

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Astringent · Elsewhere · "
• Cancer(Breast) · US · "
• Cholera · US · "
• Dentifrice · US(Amerindian) · "
• Fever · US · "
• Liver · US · "
• Malaria · US · "
• Stomatitis · US · "
• Tonic · Elsewhere · "
• Tonic · US(Amerindian) · "
• Vermifuge · US · "
• Cathartic · US(Amerindian) · "
• Jaundice · US · "
• Myalgia · US(Amerindian) · "
• Antiperiodic · Elsewhere · "
• Astringent · US(Amerindian) · "
• Dysentery · US · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• The variation in the amount of black carbon particles deposited on leaves at different positions in the canopy of mature Cornus florida and related factors. · 2025 source ↗
• Endophytic Fungi Residing within <i>Cornus florida</i> L. in Mid-Tennessee: Phylogenetic Diversity, Enzymatic Properties, and Potential Role in Plant Health. · 2024 source ↗
• Genetic diversity analysis of big-bracted dogwood (Cornus florida and C. kousa) cultivars, interspecific hybrids, and wild-collected accessions using RADseq. · 2024 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• BETULINIC-ACID
• CALCIUM
• GALLIC-ACID
• PHOSPHORUS
• RESIN
• SCYLLITOL
• URSOLIC-ACID
• CARBOHYDRATES
• ASH
• FIBER
• PROTEIN
• TANNIN
• FAT
• N-NONACOSANE
• QUERCETIN
• VERBENALIN

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

checking published revisions…