Cornus nuttallii
Mountain dogwood
(c) Alan Rockefeller, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cornaceae · Type: Tree · Native
Cornus nuttallii (Mountain dogwood) is a native California tree in the Cornaceae family, recognized by Co-occurs with 5 other species but large showy bracts.
Mountain dogwood is a California native shrub or tree found in the California Floristic Province, particularly less common in southern California, in forest habitats at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces showy white to greenish-white flowers with distinctive large bracts 4 to 6 centimeters wide that persist around the flower cluster. Growing up to 25 meters tall with green twigs and bark that turns dark red to nearly black with age, it develops an elegant, spreading form. Its leaves are narrow-elliptic to obovate, 6 to 12 centimeters long, with a lighter and hairier undersurface and a slightly puberulent upper surface. The fruit is an elliptic, generally angled red drupe 1 to 1.5 centimeters long with a smooth stone.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 5 other species but large showy bracts are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Forest
Elevation: < 2000 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Sonoma, Plumas, Mariposa, Butte, El Dorado, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Calaveras, Fresno, Shasta, Madera, Trinity, Amador, Napa, Tuolumne, Tulare, San Diego, Lake, Placer, Sierra, Inyo, Mono, Del Norte, Marin, Mendocino, San Mateo, Orange, Tehama, Kern, Nevada, Monterey, Los Angeles, Yuba, Santa Cruz, Modoc, San Benito, Santa Clara
Outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho
Bloom period
Cornus nuttallii blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Prunus: Cornus has opposite leaves and 4-parted flowers; cherry has alternate leaves and 5-parted flowers.; vs Sambucus: Cornus has simple opposite leaves; elderberry has opposite compound leaves with 5-9 leaflets.; vs Rhamnus: Cornus has 4-parted flowers; buckthorn has 5-parted flowers with petals often smaller than sepals.; vs Philadelphus: Cornus has 4-parted flowers and opposite simple leaves; mock orange has 4-5 petals and shredding bark.; vs Magnolia: Cornus has opposite leaves and small 4-parted flowers; magnolia has alternate leaves and large showy flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cornus nuttallii native to California?
Yes. Cornus nuttallii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cornus nuttallii bloom?
Cornus nuttallii blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Cornus nuttallii grow?
Cornus nuttallii occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Sonoma, Plumas, Mariposa, Butte, El Dorado, Humboldt and other counties, at elevations of < 2000 m.
What plant family does Cornus nuttallii belong to?
Cornus nuttallii is in the Cornaceae family, genus Cornus.
What habitat does Cornus nuttallii grow in?
Cornus nuttallii grows in Forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.