Cloud 9 Flowering Dogwood - Cornus florida 'Cloud 9'
Trade name: Cloud 9™
Family Cornaceae -- Dogwood family
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Pagoda dogwood is native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland west to southern Manitoba and Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and Mississippi.

A small deciduous tree growing to 25 feet, with a trunk up to 6 inches diameter. The branches develop in flat layers separated by gaps. Its leaves are elliptic to ovate and grow to 2-5 inches long and 1-2 inches broad, arranged alternately on the stems, not in opposite pairs typical of the majority of Cornus species, the leaves are most often arranged in crowded clusters around the ends of the twigs and appear almost whorled.

The topside of the leaves are smooth and green, while the undersides are hairy and a bluish color. Its bark is colored gray to brown. It becomes ridged as it ages. Cornus alternifolia produces small cream colored flowers with four small petals. The flowers are grouped into cymes, with the inflorescences 2-5 inches across. It bears fruit similar to berries with a blackish blue color. These fruits grow 3-4 inches across.