Virginia Tech Dendrology

gray dogwood Cornaceae Cornus racemosa Lam. symbol: CORA6
Leaf: Opposite, simple, ovate to elliptical, entire with arcuate veins, 2 1/2 to 5 inches long, dark green above, lighter below.
Flower: Species is monoecious; small, dull white in upright racemes, about 2 inches across appearing in late early summer.
Fruit: Dull white, 1/4 to 1/3 inch in diameter in rounded clusters, maturing in late summer to fall, fruit stalks remaining red well into winter.
Twig: Slender, gray to reddish brown, buds are dark brown and valvate, bud scales sharp-pointed and appear to have frosted tips, pith very light brown.
Bark: Light ashy gray and smooth when young; becoming broken into irregular blocks.
Form: Small to medium sized shrub with numerous stems forming thickets up to 10 feet tall but generally shorter.
Looks like: red-osier dogwood - roughleaf dogwood - silky dogwood

Additional Range Information: Cornus racemosa is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database - USDAFS Forest Products Lab
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information