Gray Dogwood
Cornus racemosa
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Cornaceae
- Genus:
- Cornus
- Species:
- Cornus racemosa
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 12-20 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may, jun, jul
- Bloom Colors:
- White, Green
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Native Range
United States: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Reported Fauna Sightings
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, fertile, well-drained loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Adaptable to a range of soil types, including clay.
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Seeds are treated and sown in late October with a Love seeder set at 3rd gear at 8.5 setting into prepared field beds.
Establishment: Seeds are purchased from local people who collect within a 50 mile radius of the nursery. Fruits are white at maturity. Each fruit contains a single bony stone that contains 1 or 2 seeds. Mature seeds are round, and brown in color. Gray dogwood is found throughout the northeastern and north central United States south to Arkansas, Texas and east to South Carolina. Seed sources are from south central Missouri.
Source: npn.rngr.net