T r e e s  o f  N o r t h  C a r o l i n a

Cornus L. (Cornaceae)

A genus of about sixty-five species of trees, shrubs, and subshrubs; mainly north temperate.

Three native species are commonly considered trees in North Carolina (i.e., C. alternifolia, C. asperifolia, and C. florida), however as many of the shrubs may attain heights of 5 m or more, all North Carolina species are keyed below.

Key to Cornus in North Carolina

1. Leaves alternate (the internodes typically short and therefore the leaves looking nearly whorled)...C. alternifolia (Alternate-leaf dogwood)

1.Leaves opposite...2.

2. Inflorescence subtended by 4 showy (white, creamy, or pink) bracts...3.

3. Showy bracts subtending the inflorescence rounded and notched; fruits separate in a compact cluster...C. florida (Flowering dogwood)

3. Showy bracts subtending the inflorescence acute; fruits fused together; [exotic, usually in planted situations, rarely escaped or persistent]...*C. kousa (Kousa dogwood)

2. Inflorescence lacking bracts...4.

4. Veins usually 5 or more per leaf side...C. amomum (Silky dogwood)

4. Veins usually 3-4 per leaf side...5.

5. Trichomes erect on abaxial surface...C. asperifolia (Eastern roughleaf dogwood) [or C. asperifolia × stricta]

5. Trichomes appressed or slightly raised on abaxial leaf surface...6.

6. Rhizomatous, forming large colonies; lenticels protrude slightly, older stems appear verrucose; fruit white...C. racemosa (Northern swamp dogwood)

6. Multiple stems from a single rootstock (occasionally appearing rhizomatous from decumbent stems); lenticels not protruding, bark swelling between lenticels; fruit blue...C. stricta (Southern swamp dogwood)