Once I spoke the language of the flowers...

The dogwood flower symbolises love undiminished by adversity and durability.

In the Victorian Era, flowers or sprigs of dogwoods were presented to unmarried women by male suitors to signify affection. The returning of the flower conveyed indifference on the part of the woman, however, if she kept it, it became a sign of mutual interest.

The Canadian province of British Columbia adopted the Pacific dogwood as its official provincial flower in 1956. During World War II, the sale of dogwood lapel pins earned money to purchase wool and other comforts for British Columbian soldiers. Dogwood blossoms are depicted on British Columbia’s coat of arms and on a flag flown by franco-Columbians, or French-speaking residents.