Creek Dogwood
Cornus sericea
The creek dogwood is a medium to tall shrub or tree, 1.5 to 4 meters in height, which forms dense, branchy thickets. The supple branches and twigs are dark red, but in wild, shady areas may darken to brown. The green leaves, 5-12 cm long and 2.5-6 cm wide, have a waxy glaucous (silvery green) underside; in the fall, they turn a bright red-purple before falling. The ovate to oblong leaves sprout in an opposite arrangement. The dull white flowers are small, only 5-10 mm in diameter, and bloom in a 3-6 cm flat-topped flower cluster. The globose white berries, 5-9 mm in diameter, replace the flowers in summer.
Basic Information
Member of the Cornaceae, or dogwood, family
Shrub or tree
Winter deciduous
There are two recognized subspecies:
Cornus sericea subsp. sericea – found throughout range; hairless or downy shoots and leaves; flower petals 2–3 mm
Cornus sericea subsp. occidentalis – found in western North America; shoots and leaves densely haired; flower petals 3–4.5 mm
Habitat
Native to northern and western North America, from Alaska east to Newfoundland, Canada, south to central California, and east to the northern United States (namely Illinois and Virginia)
Commonly found in moist riparian areas, along stream sides, riverbanks, and wetlands
Ecological Role
Provides food and coverage to wildlife
The stems and new shoots are browsed by moose, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, beavers, and rabbits, especially in winter
The fruits are an important autumn food source for bears, small mammals, and 47 different bird species, particularly waterfowl, marsh birds and shorebirds
Host plant for the larva of the Spring Azure butterfly
Important nesting habitat and cover
Reproduction
Blooms from May-June
Monoecious — each tree has both male and female reproductive organs
Alternative Names
Redosier Dogwood, red osier, red brush, red willow, redstem dogwood, redtwig dogwood, red-rood, American dogwood, and western dogwood
Historical Uses
This plant was widely used by Native American and First Nations peoples
The fresh berries were eaten fresh by many tribes, such as the Nitinaht, Quileute, and Spokan
Some Plateau Indigenous tribes ate the berries to treat colds and slow bleeding
The Lakota, Ojibwe, and other native American tribes used the inner bark, combined with other plants, to create a ‘traditional tobacco’
The flexible branches could be made into baskets and nets
A decoction of the branches was taken as an emetic (used to break fevers), a tonic, and a hemorrhoid remedy
During wars, the Blackfoot used chewed berry spittle on arrowheads and musket balls to cause infections in the wound
Additional Information
Frequently used in waterway bank erosion restoration and protection projects in the US and Canada, as the plant’s root system prevents soil erosion
Also a cost effective solution, as the plant can be reproduced by cuttings
