Early May is the time for dogwoods and redbuds...

The past few days have been great for a couple of the Northeast's native understory trees, many of which are planted around the Cornell campus. Cornus florida, the flowering dogwood, is one of the boldest to flower, even though its flowers, technically, are hardly robust. What stops the show are actually four modified, alabaster leaves, called bracts, that lie below the nondescript blooms.

Another species blooming right now is the redbud, Cercis canadensis. Its light and airy pink flowers are the antithesis of the dogwood, perched atop graceful wisps of branches. I think the two complement each other quite well, and go together like peas and carrots. Well, perhaps even better than peas and carrots, as those two veggies rarely taste good together.