Here in the South, there is one tree deserving of all the springtime adulation it gets—the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Maybe it's because they're native and grow wild in our woods.

or cut the lower branches to grow it as a small tree. Does the Empress of China dogwood attract wildlife? Pollinating insects, butterflies, and birds are attracted to the flowers and berries.

A popular ornamental tree, flowering dogwood occurs naturally in many forested regions ... small fires to clear out the understory and allow new trees to grow. A recent history of fire suppression, ...