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Pretty sure it's Cornus kousa. Here's a quote from the Wikipedia page: "C. kousa has edible berries. The rind of the berries are usually discarded because it has a bitter taste, although it is edible. The large seeds are usually not eaten, but could be ground into jam and sauces. While less popular than the berries, young leaves can also be consumed."
which is interesting because (if you believe range maps) the native flowering dogwood cornus florida which is very similar in appearance and has roughly similar environmental tolerances is supposed to grow as far down as north central Florida. FWIW there are a number of very similar but evergreen dogwoods from southern China like c. hongcongensis or even the (deciduous) Mexican form of the native dogwood (c. florida ssp. urbiniana) that might like parts of Florida---as long as they had part shade and a deep soil---like many magnolias they are plants of woodland and forest edges so hot full sun (and sandy soils) would not make them happy most anywhere. FWIW, even here in temperate Oregon (USDA 9 where I am) our long dry summers can potentially stress most dogwoods evergreen or deciduous if they are planted in shallow sandy soils and full sun.
Last edited by georgeinbandonoregon; 09-27-2018 at 10:20 AM..
Yeah, it's a Kousa dogwood; We planted a pink one in our front yard this spring. It is not a native; it is from East Asia. A house on a street near to us has one and my wife liked it so much that it was her pick to add to our yard.
It might grow in North Florida, but in Central Florida the choice would be the native white dogwood.
which is interesting because (if you believe range maps) the native flowering dogwood cornus florida which is very similar in appearance and has roughly similar environmental tolerances is supposed to grow as far down as north central Florida. FWIW there are a number of very similar but evergreen dogwoods from southern China like c. hongcongensis or even the (deciduous) Mexican form of the native dogwood (c. florida ssp. urbiniana) that might like parts of Florida---as long as they had part shade and a deep soil---like many magnolias they are plants of woodland and forest edges so hot full sun (and sandy soils) would not make them happy most anywhere. FWIW, even here in temperate Oregon (USDA 9 where I am) our long dry summers can potentially stress most dogwoods evergreen or deciduous if they are planted in shallow sandy soils and full sun.
likely many people only notice the plants in flower in the spring and don't even notice the fruit later on---even if they happen to be out in the woods to see the native species.
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