Cornus racemosa is a native deciduous shrub found across the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada in thickets, woodland edges, and along stream banks. It grows 6–10 feet tall and wide, spreads by root suckers to form colonies, and tolerates a wider range of conditions than most ornamental shrubs, including wet soils, clay, and part shade. Full sun yields the heaviest flowering and fruit set.
Its most distinctive feature is white drupes on bright red pedicels, ripening in late summer. Migrating songbirds strip the high-fat fruit within days of ripening; the red pedicels persist into winter after the fruit is gone. Fall foliage turns purple to burgundy. The shrub is widely planted in native gardens, rain gardens, bioswales, erosion control projects, and wildlife habitat restoration.
Gray dogwood spreads assertively by root suckers and can form dense thickets in open ground. This trait is an asset for bank stabilization and naturalized areas but requires management in smaller gardens. Cutting unwanted suckers at ground level in spring controls spread without harming established stems.
Dogwood Anthracnose
Irregular tan to brown spots on leaves with distinct purple or reddish margins, often starting at leaf tips and edges. In advanced cases: blighted shoots, stem cankers, and epicormic sprouts emerging from the lower trunk. Infected dead leaves may cling to branches through winter rather than dropping.
Remove and destroy all infected leaves, shoots, and cankered branches. Avoid overhead irrigation. Apply a copper-based or chlorothalonil fungicide starting at bud break in spring, repeating every 10–14 days during wet weather. Maintain tree vigor with consistent moisture and mulch — stressed trees are far more vulnerable. In high-pressure sites, consider replacing with anthracnose-resistant cultivars such as 'Appalachian Spring'.
Dogwood Canker
Sunken, discolored, or cracked areas on stems and branches; wood beneath the canker is brown and dead; affected stems wilt and die back from the canker site toward the tip.
Prune infected stems at least 6 inches below visible canker tissue. Sterilize cutting tools with 70% isopropyl alcohol between each cut. Dispose of removed material — do not compost. Maintain plant vigor through consistent watering and avoid wounding stems during routine maintenance. No chemical controls are reliably effective once infection is established; prevention through plant health is the primary strategy.
Powdery mildew
White or grey powdery coating on leaves — usually starting on older growth in humid conditions or when nights cool.
Improve air circulation by thinning plants. Apply neem oil or potassium bicarbonate spray at first sign. Avoid overhead watering.