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Native Plant Database

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Cornus obliqua Raf.

Silky dogwood, Pale dogwood, Swamp dogwood, Kinnikinnik

Cornaceae (Dogwood Family)

Synonyms: Cornus amomum ssp. obliqua

USDA Symbol: COOB9

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

This late-blooming dogwood is a wide, open, spreading shrub that grows 8-10 ft. tall. Clusters of small, creamy-white flowers are followed by clusters of blue berries. Twigs are grayish-green, becoming purplish-red.

The genus cornus is Latin for a horn.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Flower:
Fruit: Black
Size Class: 6-12 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Jun

Distribution

USA: AR , CT , DC , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SD , VT , WI , WV
Canada: ON
Native Distribution: N.B. to VA, w. to MN, e. KS & LA
Native Habitat: Swamps; damp thickets; wet prairies
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Soil Description: Moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Not a specimen dogwood, but useful in poorly drained sites and for prevention of lake and stream bank erosion. Tolerates more alkaline soil.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by seed or cuttings. Silky dogwood is one of the easiest dogwoods to root. Semi-hardwood cuttings benefit from hormone treatment; softwood cutting do not require treatment.
Seed Collection: Collect fruit when it has turned black.
Seed Treatment: Remove seed from fruit and stratify 90 days.
Commercially Avail: yes

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Cornus obliqua in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Cornus obliqua in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cornus obliqua

Metadata

Record Modified: 2010-09-09
Research By: TWC Staff

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