June 28, 2022
Contact: John Scott
Urban Forester
Parks, Natural Resources and Cultural Affairs
479.444.3470
urbanforestry@fayetteville-ar.gov
Lake Fayetteville dogwood newest Amazing Trees of Fayetteville selection
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The City of Fayetteville’s Urban Forestry staff and Urban Forestry Advisory Board are excited to announce the newest selection for the Amazing Trees of Fayetteville program: a dogwood tree on the north side of Lake Fayetteville.
The dogwood, which stands at 29 feet tall, is the sixth Amazing Tree of Fayetteville. It is located along the Lake Fayetteville Trail at the far northeast corner of the park. A commemorative plaque will be placed near the base of the tree.
The Amazing Tree program recognizes significant trees and highlights the importance of trees in our city. The Urban Forestry Advisory Board and City urban foresters choose trees that exemplify unique character by being large, uniquely shaped or a rare tree species. The dogwood (Cornus florida) at Lake Fayetteville is one of the largest of its species in the city.
This popular native tree has a canopy that covers approximately 1,480 square feet. The multi-stem trunks of this dogwood collectively measure around 10 feet in circumference. Dogwoods can host up to 85 species of moths and butterflies, making them important to wildlife.
Urban Forester John Scott with Parks, Natural Resources and Cultural Affairs describes the dogwood as a “tree for all seasons.”
The tree shines during the spring when it is covered in white flower-like bracts. The actual flower is the tiny cluster of yellow-green inflorescence found in the center of the white bracts. Dogwood leaves change to crimson red and have bright red drupes (a type of fruit) in the fall and winter months.
To learn more about the Amazing Trees of Fayetteville program, including previous selections, go to https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/3538/Amazing-Trees-of-Fayetteville.
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