Dogwood tree has lots of flowers but no leaves

Question

Hi I have two dogwoods in my yard. One has gotten lots of foliage plus beautiful blooms of white flowers. The other one I’m confused and concerned about. It is planted in a more shaded area and I thought it might be done for because it hadn’t gotten any foliage on it. However, I looked at it yesterday and it’s full of blooming white flowers without any foliage whatsoever. Can you please tell me what’s going on with my dogwood?

Answer 1

What appear to be flowers on dogwoods are not true flowers. Instead they are bracts, or modified leaves that look like petals. The true flowers of dogwoods are clustered at the center of the bracts.
Both Flowering dogwood and Cornelian cherry blossom before they produce leaves, while kousa produces flowers after it has produced leaves.
Dogwoods that are unhealthy or put under stress may fail to produce blossoms. Although dogwoods thrive in partial shade beneath trees, they will not produce blossoms if they grow in full shade.
Dogwoods that are unhealthy or put under stress may fail to produce blossoms. Although dogwoods thrive in partial shade beneath trees, they will not produce blossoms if they grow in full shade.