DOGWOOD

Have you heard the legend of the dogwood tree? It’s a fun, religious story that can be shared. Just remember, it's a "story" and the legend may not be true!

In Jesus’ time, the dogwood tree had grown to a great size, like that of an oak tree! They used it to build the cross that Jesus was hung on. This made the dogwood tree sad. Jesus, sensing this sadness, promised the dogwood tree that it would never again grow large enough to build a cross. It’s branches would be narrow and crooked -- not good for building at all. And now the dogwood tree has many traits to remember this promise.

The legend of the dogwood tree also extends to its flowers:

• The dogwood flower has 4 petals, with 2 long petals and 2 short pedals, forming the shape of the sign of the cross.
  
• The middle of the dogwood flower can be described as a crown of thorns and is also typically of a darker color than the rest of the blossom.
  
• The flowers are white or pink with dark edging at the tip meant to signify a nail dent.
  
• The "nail dents" are stained with the color of Jesus’ blood.
  

So that’s it - the Legend of the Dogwood Tree! Whether true or not, the dogwood tree does indeed bloom during, or soon after, the Easter season, its growth pattern is stunted, and its blossoms do resemble the cross.