Berries in summer, red twigs in fall and winter. Young stems remain upright, and older stems arch over to touch the ground. Shrubs become more dense over time with many stems.
Native Plant Database
Header Photo: Mervin Wallace
Silky Dogwood
Cornus amomum
Plant Type: Shrubs
Native Environment: Stream Edge
Season of Interest: Mid (May - June), Late (July - frost)
Main Color: White
Fall Color:
USDA PLANTS Range Map
At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data

Photo: Mervin Wallace

Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Medium Sun/Average Shade

Soil
Moisture
Moderate, High

Nature Attracting
Hummingbird, Pollinators/Beneficial Insects, Songbirds

Wildlife Benefit
Cover, Food/Birds, Nesting

Animal
Resistance
Deer Resistant
Size
Height:
6 to
8
feet
Spread:
3 to
8
feet
Size
Height: 6 to
8
feet
Spread: 3 to
8
feet
Size
Height: 6 to
8
feet
Spread: 3 to
8
feet
Typical Landscape Use
A good shrub for rain gardens, wildlife plantings, and places a large shrub is needed.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Mulch dryer locations for moisture retention. If desired, trim out older canes to maintain an upright growth pattern instead of arching.
Special Features
Special Usage
Privacy Screen, Rainscaping
Basic Description
Where Should I Start?
Check out the Grow Native! Committee’s Top Ten picks of native plants for a particular purpose.
What’s the Next Step?
Picked out your plants? View our Resource Guide of garden centers, seed sources, landscapers, education resources, and more!
Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?
Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.