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These Berries Have Gone to the Dogwood #GardenSense

dogwood ripe berries
bunny eating dogwood berries
Dogwood and bunny

If you’re thinking about planting an ornamental tree for wildlife, consider a Kousa Dogwood.
This tree is native to Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan. Hardy to zone 5 and can take the summer heat.
In late spring whitish bracts appear that resemble petals. If you have ever owned a Poinsettia, you will be familiar with these special leaves. The actual flowers are those tiny green fibrous centers.
dogwood green berries

Green berries form next as the white leaves die off. Then it’s Showtime!
Use branches to decorate your table space.
dogwood decoration
Bright pinkish-red berries cover these trees from late summer through most of fall. Birds, squirrels and even rabbits love these tender berries.
Not all Dogwood species serve fruit fit for human consumption. According to The Missouri Botanical Garden this species is edible.
This low maintenance tree is a four season beauty. Prune yearly to help keep its shape.
If you are lucky you’ll get to snap a few pictures of berry loving friends!

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Cindy's Recipes and Writings

As a professional cook, I love creating exciting new recipes on the job as well as at home. Assisting in teaching low-income families how to buy, store and prepare healthy food through Penn State’s alliance with Pennsylvania’s Supercupboard Program was very rewarding. During my 11 years with the Master Gardener program, I taught horticultural therapy to assisted living patients using healthful, fr
esh grown food as a focal point. . My hands-on programs and instruction helped hundreds of children and adults learn about where their food comes from and how important fresh food is for your body.
Currently I’m a cook at a college in Pennsylvania. We prepare everything we can from scratch, including our potato chips that tout the seasoning of the day!
Of course I write about food; it's in my blood!

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