This tree can tell you now

I took this photo Jan. 5. It shows the green limbs and five buds at the ends of the limbs.

Not many native North American trees will tell you during winter whether they will bloom come springtime. But the flowering dogwood will. If you have a dogwood tree in your yard, you can go now and see if it will have several or few flowers blooming next April. Count the buds that look like those you see here.

The white flowering dogwood has been designated as Missouri's state tree. It is a beautiful, short tree that seldom grows more than 30 feet tall. This tree is relatively easy to plant and will look great at the edge of any yard.