Cornus racemosa (Gray Dogwood)

Tough and adaptable, Cornus racemosa (Gray Dogwood) is a thicket-forming, deciduous shrub with excellent blue-green foliage of elliptic to lance-shaped leaves up to 4 in. long (10 cm). In late spring to early summer, small creamy-white flowers appear in flattened clusters, providing a great floral show. They are borne atop conspicuously red stems and attract bees and butterflies. They are followed by white berries, which persist into fall unless devoured by birds and other wildlife. Their bright red fruit stalks persist after the berries are gone and are quite ornamental. The foliage turns deep reddish purple in the fall. Resistant to most diseases and insects, Gray Dogwood can be used in erosion control, as a filler in the shrub border, or left alone to spread in naturalized areas.

• Grows up to 10-15 ft. tall and wide (300-450 cm). It will spread to form large colonies if suckers are not removed.
• Performs best in full sun or part shade in average, dry to moist, well-drained soils. Tolerant of heavy shade. Gray Dogwood is tolerant of dry soils and wet soils.
• Deer resistant.
• A great choice for shrub borders, rain gardens, along streams or ponds, and native plant gardens. It could be used as a screen or on steep slopes.
• Dogwoods are susceptible to a range of pests and diseases.
• Sow seeds immediately after collection or scarify and stratify and sow the following spring. This plant will root from softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings taken in summer and hardwood cuttings in winter.
• Native to Eastern North America.
• Find where this species is invasive in the United States.