Native Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Size Class: 12-36 ft.
Fruit Type: Berry
Leaf Color: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit Color: White, red stems

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Green
Bloom Time: May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AR , CT , DE , IL , IN , IA , KY , ME , MD , MA , MI , MN , MO , NE , NH , NJ , NY , NC , ND , OH , PA , RI , SC , SD , TX , VT , VA , WV , WI
Canada: MB , NB , ON , QC
Native Distribution: ME to Ont. & Man., s. to SC & AR
Native Habitat: Thickets; river bank woods; wet to dry, low, open areas
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Will adapt to drier sites. Used in erosion control and for wildlife habitat. Resistant to most diseases, insects and physiological problems.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Fruit eaten by birds and other wildlife. Used by many bird species including Northern Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, and Eastern Bluebird.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Spring Azure

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Cornus racemosa is a larval host and/or nectar source for:

Spring Azure (Celastrina "ladon" ) Larval Host Learn more at BAMONA

Propagation

Description: Sow seeds immediately after collection or scarify and stratify and sow the following spring. Cornus spp. will root from softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings taken in summer, hardwood cuttings in winter, and suckers and division and by layering in the early
Seed Treatment: Stratify for 30-60 days at 41 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes

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PlantWise: Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants

Cornus racemosa (Gray dogwood) is a PlantWise native alternative for:

   Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle)
   Lonicera morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle)
   Lonicera tatarica (Tatarian honeysuckle)
   Lonicera xylosteum (dwarf honeysuckle)
   Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Question: Hi...Can you please identfy the tall, evergreen shrub with purple plum-colored foliage that I have noticed in winter locally?...Hope so, need he color! THX
click here to view the full question and answer

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE

Bibliography

Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright
Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, S.
* Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

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