Gray Dogwood
Cornus racemosa
Also listed as Cornus paniculata, Swida racemosa
Also known as Panicled Dogwood, Grey Dogwood, Northern Swamp Dogwood
Climate Match for your location
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Gray dogwood is a deciduous shrub prized for its white flowers in late spring and distinctive gray stems that provide winter interest. It tolerates wet conditions and spreads via stolons, making it useful for naturalizing in moist areas.
Why grow it
Gray dogwood offers reliable winter stem color without the pruning demands of some red-twig dogwoods, and its stoloniferous growth pattern makes it more effective than upright species for stabilizing banks and filling moist understory niches. Unlike flowering dogwoods, it thrives in wet soils and partial shade typical of riparian zones, and its late-spring flower timing complements earlier-blooming shrubs in mixed plantings.
Watch out for
The stoloniferous spread that makes this shrub useful for erosion control can extend beyond intended boundaries in ideal conditions, requiring periodic containment in smaller gardens. Dense thickets may take several years to establish visual structure, and stem color is most vivid on younger growth, so renewal pruning every few years will maintain ornamental appeal.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Cornaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Gray dogwood is a deciduous shrub prized for its white flowers in late spring and distinctive gray stems that provide winter interest. It tolerates wet conditions and spreads via stolons, making it useful for naturalizing in moist areas.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Gray Dogwood grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Gray dogwood offers reliable winter stem color without the pruning demands of some red-twig dogwoods, and its stoloniferous growth pattern makes it more effective than upright species for stabilizing banks and filling moist understory niches. Unlike flowering dogwoods, it thrives in wet soils and partial shade typical of riparian zones, and its late-spring flower timing complements earlier-blooming shrubs in mixed plantings.
Watch out for
The stoloniferous spread that makes this shrub useful for erosion control can extend beyond intended boundaries in ideal conditions, requiring periodic containment in smaller gardens. Dense thickets may take several years to establish visual structure, and stem color is most vivid on younger growth, so renewal pruning every few years will maintain ornamental appeal.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Cornaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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