Cornus sericea subsp. sericea
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Cornaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Cornus sericea subsp. sericea is a native California shrub in the Cornaceae family, recognized by Subspecies-level differences require close examination of floral parts and fruit stones.
Red-osier dogwood is a California native shrub found in the California Floristic Province and Great Basin in moist habitats at elevations up to 2,800 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white flowers with petals 2 to 3 millimeters long. Growing with multiple stems 1 to 3 meters tall, it forms dense thickets in riparian areas. Its leaves are generally smooth to slightly hairy on the undersides, with simple, opposite arrangement and green to dark green coloration. The fruit is a small, smooth stone that provides food for local wildlife.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Subspecies-level differences require close examination of floral parts and fruit stones
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally moist habitats
Elevation: < 2800 m
California counties: Mono, San Bernardino, Tulare, Los Angeles, Placer, Nevada, Glenn, Santa Cruz, Inyo, Siskiyou, Plumas, San Mateo, Tuolumne, San Diego, Madera, Santa Barbara, Fresno, Modoc, Monterey, Lassen, Mendocino, Butte, Sierra, Shasta, Tehama, El Dorado, Napa, Alameda, Humboldt, Sacramento, Alpine, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Mariposa, Amador, San Benito, Sonoma, Del Norte, Marin, Solano, Contra Costa, Orange, Trinity, San Francisco, Calaveras, Lake, Kern, San Joaquin, Colusa, Yuba, Riverside, Ventura
Outside California: to Alaska, eastern Canada, Virginia, New Mexico, northern Mexico, introduced in western Europe
Bloom period
Cornus sericea subsp. sericea blooms May-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 sericea subsp. sericea native to California?
Yes. Cornus sericea subsp. sericea is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cornus sericea subsp. sericea bloom?
Cornus sericea subsp. sericea blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Cornus sericea subsp. sericea grow?
Cornus sericea subsp. sericea occurs in Mono, San Bernardino, Tulare, Los Angeles, Placer, Nevada, Glenn, Santa Cruz and other counties, at elevations of < 2800 m.
What plant family does Cornus sericea subsp. sericea belong to?
Cornus sericea subsp. sericea is in the Cornaceae family, genus Cornus.
What habitat does Cornus sericea subsp. sericea grow in?
Cornus sericea subsp. sericea grows in Generally moist habitats.
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.