Roughleaf Dogwood

Cornus drummondii

Native to:
Canada, United States

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Cornaceae
Genus:
Cornus
Species:
Cornus drummondii
USDA Symbol:
CODR

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub , Tree
Height:
914 cm
Light Requirements:
Part Shade,Shade
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
apr,may,jun
Bloom Colors:
white
Landscaping Shrub:
Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Butterflies & Moths:
★★★★★ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Caterpillars:
★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Moths:Antispila freemani, Coelodasys Packard, Coleophora cornella, Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), Grapeleaf skeletonizer (Harrisina americana), Io moth (Automeris io), Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus) Butterflies:Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, butterflies, small mammals
Fall Color:
red, purple

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers moist environments but can adapt to drier conditions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
Germination Time:
30–90 days
Notes:
Seeds require cold stratification for 60-90 days to break dormancy.

Pre-treatment: Warm stratification for at least 60 days in a moist environment followed by a longer period at a much lower temperature. Alternatively, immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid for 1 to 3 hours or mechanical scarification can be used. Soaking stones in gibberellic acid for 24 hours has also been successful.

Establishment: Seeds are typically collected from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or purchased from local people who collect within a 50 mile radius of the nursery in south central Missouri. The seeds are one-seeded fleshy drupes that are white or sometimes light blue at maturity, typically 4 to 7 mm in diameter and mature from August to October. Mature seeds are round and 3 to 5 mm in diameter.

Source: npn.rngr.net

Where to Buy

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