Cornaceae

Cornus sericea

Red-Osier Dogwood

Shrub spreading, deciduous. Branching from ground into spreading plant, bright red to purplish red stems becoming grayish green with age, often rooting if touching ground. Color brightest before leaves appear. Leaves opposite, with parallel veins, narrowly oval, 2–4 in. long, underside lighter-colored. Flowers small, many clustered at branch tips, white, cream, or greenish. Fruit is a small white to tan berry. Grows in streambanks, swampy places, open meadows, at low to subalpine elevations. Subsp. occidentalis is rough, hairy. Subsp. sericea is hairless or has few long hairs but is not rough. Flower petals very small.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: Late Spring, Early Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 6--18 feet
• Habitat: Coastal, Subalpine, Bog/Fen/Wetland, West-Side Forest
• Found In: West Gorge, Crater Lake Np, N Cascades Np, Mt. Rainier Np, Olympic Np
• Native: Yes