Roughleaf Dogwood
Cornus drummondii
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
iNaturalist: © jellyfishmambo (iNaturalist #222075041)
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:
- 500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- white, cream
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- 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
Reported Fauna Sightings
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, butterflies, small mammals
- Fall Color:
- red, purple
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from the root crown following fire. Forms thickets that can increase after disturbance.
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:
- Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds exhibit double dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Germination can be erratic.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
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