Cornus racemosa
Gray dogwood is likened as the shorter cousin of its more popular cousin, C. florida. It rarely reaches heights above 10 ft. and is considered a shrub. What it lacks in height, however, is more than made up for by its dominance in ecosystems; in the right conditions, C. racemosa can form dense dogwood thickets. This tree is also named the northern swamp dogwood due to its distribution in the northern United States in wetland environments. It is most notable for its striking white berries that are favored by birds and mammals which harvest shortly after they ripen.
Family: Cornaceae
Foliage: Deciduous
Mature height range: 5-20 ft.
Light exposure: Partial Shade to Full Shade
Soil preference: Moist soils, usually near rivers and other wet ecosystems
Tolerance: Adapts to drier sites and is resistant to herbivory and many diseases
Wildlife: fruit are eaten by birds and mammals, pollinated by insects, larval host plant for spring azures (Celastrina ladon) and possibly others
