Dogwood Stories and Legends
The
word "dogwood" comes from a custom in England to wash dogs with
a concoction made from dogwood bark to cure mange.
There is a legend, that at the time of Jesus Christ's Crucifixion the
dogwood was the size of the oak and other forest trees. So firm and strong
was the tree that it was chosen as the timber for the cross. To be used
thus for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the tree, and Jesus, nailed
upon it, sensed this, and in his suffering said to it: Because of your regret
and pity for My suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large
enough to be used a a cross. Henceforth it shall be slender and bent and
twisted and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross...two long and
two short petals. And in the center of the outer edge of each petal there
will be nail prints, brown with rust and stained with red, and in the center
of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see it will remember.
Legends provided by Dogwood's Internet Connection - http://www.bright.net/~dogwood/stories.html
