One of the unheralded joys of the Chinese dogwood tree is its crop of fruit. While not genuinely viewed as edible (the fibrous fruits don’t taste awful as much as their pithy texture makes them undesirable) they are enjoyed by birds and squirrels, which have been going crazy for this year’s crop of bright red berry-like fruit.
For humans, they are more ornamental than functional, and they’re like a second round of blooms before the foliage lights itself on ghostly fire. It’s one of the many charms held by the Chinese dogwood tree, and why we have several in our yard. The finale is about to begin, and by the time it’s done, the buds will have been set for next spring, proof that this lovely tree is always thinking ahead. A tree after my own heart.
