Redosier dogwood

Cornus sericea

Formerly C. alba and C. stolonifera. Deciduous thicket-forming shrub 3-20 ft. tall with small white flower clusters and white berries, blooming May to September. Adapted to moist, poorly drained soils in forests, shrublands, floodplains, lake edges, ponds, wetland margins and streambanks of sites that may be entirely dry by late summer; up to 10,000 ft. elevation. Tolerant of partial sun to full shade in closed-canopy forests. Able to root sprout after wildfire. Important food, cover and nesting habitat for wildlife. Preferred browse for moose, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and beavers. Valuable fruits are eaten by bears, small mammals and numerous birds. Common landscaping ornamental.