alternate-leaved dogwood
Cornus alternifolia
It is one of the only dogwood species in North America to have leaves arranged alternately along the stem rather than in opposite pairs.
- Scientific name
- Cornus alternifolia
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Cornales › Cornaceae › Cornus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Moist, well-drained understories of deciduous forests, woodland edges, and cool ravines.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis via sunlight, water, and soil nutrients).
- Range
- Eastern United States, Southeastern Canada, Appalachian Mountains, Great Lakes Region
- Size
- 4-8 meters tall with a wide, horizontal canopy spread.
- Lifespan
- 30-50 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Dogwood anthracnose (fungal disease), habitat fragmentation, and competition from invasive species like buckthorn.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to the touch. Do not ingest the berries as they can cause mild nausea in humans; leave them for wildlife. Observe the unique tiered structure from a distance to avoid compacting the soil around its sensitive root system.
Cornus alternifolia is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae, native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland west to southern Manitoba and Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and Mississippi. It is rare in the southern United States. It is commonly known as green osier , alternate-leaved dogwood , and pagoda dogwood .
Photo: Sarah Johnson, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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