Description
Deciduous, North American shrub
Description: Clusters of greenish-white flowers in late spring followed by showy white berries which contrast nicely with bright red flower and fruit stems (pedicels); gray-green foliage turns reddish-purple in fall; new orange-brown stems turn gray as they mature
Habit: Grows 10-15 feet high and wide; upright, multi-stemmed, suckering shrub
Culture: Prefers full sun to part shade and average soil; tolerates wet, dry, and poor soils
Hardiness: Cold hardy to USDA Zone 4
Native to a wide range of growing conditions in eastern North America, this tough, adaptable shrub is a good choice for borders, hedges, difficult slopes, and rain gardens. The Gray Dogwood provides food and shelter for many forms of wildlife and is the larval host for the Spring Azure butterfly. Also called Swamp Dogwood or Panicled Dogwood, this was likely the species included in Bartram’s Catalogue of American Trees, Shrubs, and Herbacious Plants (1783) as “Cornus Perlata, White berried Swamp Dogwood.”
Bare root planting tips:
~ If you can't plant immediately, store your plant in a cool location and keep the roots moist or pot in a container with a nursery potting mix from your local garden center.
~ Before planting, let the roots soak for several hours as you prepare the site. You'll want to dig a large enough hole so the root mass can spread out and the plant is at the same soil level as when it was growing in the nursery.
~ Once planted, water it in well and wait a month before fertilizing. Mulching will help to maintain moisture and raise soil temperatures for faster growth.
