Sun Exposure: Part Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Soil Type: Sand-Loam, Loam, Loam-Clay
Height: 0.5 feet
Spread: 3 foot
Blooms: May, June
Root: Rhizome
Habitat: Conifer, mixed wood, and hardwood forests.
Landscape uses: Shady garden, Woodland planting, Naturalization, Ground cover
Complimentary Plants: Wild Columbine, Virginia Bleubells, White Snakeroot
Wildlife Value: Bees, flies and beetles use the pollen and nectar as nutrition. Birds and small mammals eat the berries.
Seed Origin: Timmins, Ontario
Germination Code: C(60), F
Photo credits: #1 by Walter Siegmund, #2 by Gillfoto, #3 By Ryan Hodnett
Cornus canadensis - Bunchberry
This dogwood is the smallest of the Cornus species that mainly consists of shrubs and small trees. In late spring, the plant produces white dogwood like flowers. In midsummer, after the plant blooms, it produces bright red berries that stand out in sharp contrast to the greens and browns of the forest floor. This plant spreads out slowly to form a groundcover, but is not aggressive.
Bunchberry's rather flexible soil and site requirements means that it can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including conifer, mixed wood, and hardwood forests. It can grow in a variety of shaded habitats, including dry to moist woods of all types, bogs, swamps, and rocky slopes.