A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

The race to elect a state flower was tight. Pressure was mounting to pick the right candidate, one that would appeal to all North Carolinians. In a state with a

Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

The race to elect a state flower was tight. Pressure was mounting to pick the right candidate, one that would appeal to all North Carolinians. In a state with a

Dogwoods

Dogwood blossom

The race to elect a state flower was tight. Pressure was mounting to pick the right candidate, one that would appeal to all North Carolinians. In a state with a diverse landscape — home to more than 3,900 native plant species — there were plenty of options to choose from. By 1941, North Carolina had already declared an official flag, song, and seal. But this was not enough. People demanded floral representation.

The flame azalea was a fine selection, with its romantic, candle-like blooms, but some believed that it wasn’t ubiquitous enough to earn a statewide title. In 1936, an issue of Flower Grower magazine claimed that the oxeye daisy was the flower of North Carolina. Upon further inspection, the assertion was made by a Massachusetts writer, surely not someone fit to speak on our behalf. At the time, garden clubs favored the goldenrod, but alas, it didn’t have the name recognition required to win. At one point, the Venus flytrap was in the running, but it must have ultimately been deemed too aggressive.

Illustration of dogwood blossom

illustration by Arif_Vector/iStock/Getty Images Plus

The North Carolina General Assembly finally decreed that enough was enough. After recognizing the “great demand” to name a state flower, legislators cited the dogwood as the perfect choice. Sure, it might be a tree, but the blossoms that sprout from its branches come April are, as the General Assembly put it, “radiantly beautiful.”

As with any political figure entering the spotlight, stories of the flower’s past came to light. According to Cherokee lore, a population of tiny people lived among the wild dogwoods. These woodland residents were said to enjoy drumming and singing, and their melodies could be heard in remote mountain areas where clusters of dogwoods grew.

Many Southerners have connected the dogwood to Easter celebrations: Some believe that the tree was once large, like a great oak, and that its wood was used to construct the cross on which Jesus was crucified. God cursed the dogwood for its role in the Crucifixion, turning its strong trunk and branches skinny and fragile. But in an act of forgiveness, He blessed the tree with the gift of beautiful cross-shaped flowers.

After more than 80 years as our state flower, the dogwood remains an ideal representative. Its beauty has inspired legends and stories, and it’s celebrated each year at festivals across the state. The dogwood is forever part of our identity.


The Matthis Family Tree

When the Matthis Family Tree was last measured in 2014, it was 115 inches around at its widest point. The tree is believed to have fully matured by 1864. photograph by Todd Pusser

A Great Beauty

Beneath branches that stretch 31 feet, the Matthis Family Tree is marked with a plaque that recognizes it as the largest known living dogwood in the United States. Little has been documented about the Matthises aside from their final resting place in their small family cemetery in Sampson County, but the tree has garnered much attention. Local history buffs nominated it for the National Champion Trees program, which aims to identify and track the largest living tree species in the country. The Matthis dogwood was crowned a champion in 2019. While we may never learn more about the tree’s history or the family it’s named for, the joy and wonder that it has brought to Sampson County will never stop growing.


Branch of a dogwood tree in Fayetteville, NC

Dogwood blossoms peeking out in April serve as a harbinger for fun throughout North Carolina’s communities.  photograph by Faith Teasley

Four Petals, Four Festivals

First came the Statesville Carolina Dogwood Festival in 1968. Then, in 1982, Fayetteville was nicknamed the “City of Dogwoods,” and each April since, it has hosted the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival. Later, Farmville and Mebane joined in. When dogwoods start to bloom, you can be sure that there’s a party nearby.

North Carolina Dogwood Festivals:

April 19-21: Statesville
carolina-dogwood-festival.com

April 25-28: Farmville
farmvilledogwoodfest.com

April 26-28: Fayetteville
thedogwoodfestival.com

April 26-27: Mebane
facebook.com/mebanedogwoodfestival

This story was published on Mar 13, 2024

Katie Kane

Katie Kane is the assistant editor at Our State.