Panicled Dogwood Cornus racemosa

Gray dogwood is a native deciduous, rhizomatous shrub in the Cornaceae or Dogwood Family. It may grow up from 4 to 15 feet high as a shrub and up to 27 feet tall as a small tree. It is frequently planted for its showy flowers and fruits and colorful fall foliage. This plant spreads rapidly by growing suckers and is best used in naturalized settings. It will also serve to control erosion near ponds or embankments.

The Gray Dogwood is native to the Central and Eastern parts of Canada and the United States. It is found along roadsides, woodlands, meadows, forest margins, and riparian zones. It is most commonly found in the understories of forests with moderate to full sunlight.

The genus name, Cornus, is the Latin from the word, cornu, which means "horn." This references the hardness of the wood. The species name, racemosa, references the raceme inflorescence of the flowers.

The Gray Dogwood may be planted in full sun to partial shade and in a wide variety of soil types.  While it prefers moist soil, it withstands dry, wet, and poor soils well. They may be reproduced by seeds, soft and hardwood cuttings, suckers, division, and layering. The plant will colonize if the suckers are not removed.

The bark of the older trees is grayish-brown and the stems reddish in color. The upper surfaces of leaves are dark green and the undersides are pale green to almost white with short stiff hairs. The creamy-white flowers bloom from May through June and form dome-shaped clusters. The fruits are white berries with red stems that appear from August to October. The fall foliage is a reddish-purple.

Many insects, including bees and butterflies, are attracted to this plant for pollen and nectar. Fruits are a good food source for many songbirds. They are also enjoyed by black bears, raccoons, squirrels, and chipmunks. In dense thickets, the shrub provides shelter for birds and small mammals as well as nesting sites for birds.

The Gray Dogwood is a wonderful native plant that will add spring, summer, and fall interest to naturalized areas or informal gardens. Grown as a shrub, it may be used for borders or screening. 

The flowers, fruit, and leaves of the Gray Dogwood are similar to the Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea). The bark of the Gray Dogwood is gray, and the bark of the Red-osier Dogwood is deep red. 

NC Native shrub

Seasons of Interest:

  Foliage:  Fall          Bloom:  Spring          Fruit:  Late Summer and Fall        Bark, Stems, Twigs:  Winter

Quick ID Hints:

• Bark grayish-brown with small lenticels
• Stems and twigs are red
• Upper surface leaves dark green, lower surfaces are pale green to almost white
• Short stiff hairs appear on both sides of the leaves
• Reddish-purple leaves in the fall
• Dome-shaped clusters of creamy-white flowers in the spring
• Small white berries with red stems in the late summer and fall

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect pests or diseases.  Dogwood bud galls are occasionally seen but not usually a problem.  

The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases.

VIDEO created by Grant L. Thompson for “Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines for Landscaping” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University.