Come hell or high water, some plants can make it through just about anything life throws at it, and Cornus racemosa is one of those plants. Cornus racemosa, or Gray Dogwood, is a native deciduous shrub noted for both its flowering habit as well as its peculiar fruits that may be overlooked by plant novices. The ivory-white drupes contrast beautifully against the reddish-hot-pink peduncles they belong to, taking over in August and September for the racemes of small, white, late spring flowers that can usually be found in terminal clusters from May into early June. However, it is less of this native shrub’s attractiveness that makes it so appealing, and more so its ability to withstand adverse site conditions, from urban pollution to alongside streams and pond edges where it may experience wet soils. Alternatively, it can also tolerate rockier and disturbed soils, from meadows to woodland edges, and can effectively be used as a deciduous screen or as a naturalizing selection for restoration projects. The white fruits of Gray Dogwood are a wonderful food source for songbirds and various mammal species, and the flowers are a preferred nectar source for many native bee species.

• Category: Woody Ornamentals
• Hardiness Zone: 4
• Height: 12 Feet
• Spread: 12 Feet
• Bloom Color: White