White flowering dogwood, Cornus florida
 
White or Eastern flowering dogwood is one of the showiest small trees, and grows between 6 and 7.5 m tall. It can be grown as a shrub or tree.
Four huge white bracts develop around small flowers, giving the impression that the tree has 10 cm big flowers, which makes it so elegant.
The leaves turn scarlet, red and pink in the fall.
 
Ecology:
Native sweat and mining bees, as well as the introduced honey bee, visit dogwoods for pollen and nectar. Some mining bees are dogwood pollen-specialist bees, and their larvae can only feed on dogwood pollen. 
It is the host plant for the spring azure butterfly and cecropia silkmoth caterpillars.
The bright red berries are drupes and are a nutritious food source for songbirds, small mammals and even foxes as they are very high in fat and calcium. 
 
Growing conditions:
It should be grown in a sheltered location from excess cold and heat, best in morning sun with dappled shade throughout the rest of the day. White flowering dogwood can tolerate full sun if the roots are shaded and stay cool and moist in summer. The tree requires good organic matter and prefers slightly acidic, well-drained soil.
Two or more trees can be grown 2 to 4 m apart for a bigger impact. 
Since their root systems are shallow, it is best to grow woodland plants beneath them, so the soil is not constantly compacted and disturbed by mowing.
Native to southern Ontario.