Cornus sericea
American dogwood
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Cornaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Cornus sericea (American dogwood) is a native California shrub in the Cornaceae family, recognized by limited eFlora data available.
American dogwood is a California native shrub found in riparian and wetland habitats across northern California mountains and coastal regions at elevations from sea level to 2,000 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces small white flowers in clusters, creating delicate flat-topped flower arrangements. Growing with distinctive red to purple branches that mature to gray-green, the shrub reaches heights of 1.5 to 4 meters with an open, spreading growth form. Its leaves are lanceolate to ovate, typically 5 to 10 centimeters long with 4 to 7 prominent veins, appearing darker green on top and noticeably paler underneath. The fruit is a white to cream-colored drupe approximately 7 to 9 millimeters long with a smooth or slightly ridged stone.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; limited eFlora data available
Habitat and range
California counties: Nevada, Fresno, Tulare, El Dorado, Sonoma, San Bernardino, Mono, Los Angeles, Shasta, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Modoc, Tuolumne, Amador, Kern, Alameda, Humboldt, Trinity, Lake, Glenn, Placer, Sacramento, San Benito, San Diego, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Sierra, Ventura, Yuba, Alpine, Butte, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Inyo, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Marin, Mendocino, Plumas, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Riverside
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 sericea native to California?
Yes. Cornus sericea is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Cornus sericea grow?
Cornus sericea occurs in Nevada, Fresno, Tulare, El Dorado, Sonoma, San Bernardino, Mono, Los Angeles and other counties.
What plant family does Cornus sericea belong to?
Cornus sericea is in the Cornaceae family, genus Cornus.
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.