[The Dogwood Family in the Columbia R. Gorge]
Creek Dogwood, Redosier Dogwood, Red-osier Dogwood, Red Osier Dogwood, Western Dogwood, Western Red Osier
Cornus sericea
Synonyms: Cornus xcalifornica, Cornus alba ssp. stolonifera, Cornus alba var. baileyi, Cornus alba var. californica, Cornus alba var. interior, Cornus alba var. occidentalis, Cornus alba var. sibirica, Cornus baileyi, Cornus instolonea, Cornus interior, Cornus occidentalis, Cornus sericea ssp. occidentalis Cornus sericea ssp. sericea, Cornus sericea ssp. stolonifera, Cornus sericea var. interior, Cornus stolonifera, Cornus stolonifera var. baileyi, Cornus stolonifera var. californica, Cornus stolonifera var. coloradensis, Cornus stolonifera var. interior, Cornus stolonifera var. occidentalis, Cornus stolonifera var. stolonifera, Swida instolonea, Swida sericea, Swida stolonifera
The photo above shows a close-up of the flowers of creek dogwood
as seen at Horsethief Butte along Washington State Highway #14 at MP 86.3................May
1, 2005.
Photo at right shows the whitish
berries of Cornus sericea.
Characteristics:
Creek dogwood is an attractive, multi-steemed shrub from 2-6
meters tall. The younger twigs are bright red to reddish-purple and gray-green
on older twigs. The twigs commonly root upon contacting moist soil. The leaves
are oval, dark shiny green above, and lighter below (See leaves below.). The
leaves are 4-12 cm long and prominently veined. The leaves appear opposite on
the twigs, and have entire margins.
The flowers are in flat-topped cymes, with the flower heads
lacking the large white bracts of its cousins. The white petals are small, from
2-4 mm long. Plants may flower both in spring as well as in the fall. The berries
are white.
Habitat:
Wet forest sites, frequently along streams, in
ditches, or in wetland swales.
Range:
Creek dogwood is found over much of North America.
In the Columbia River Gorge, it is found between
the elevations of 100'-3100' west of the mouth of the Deshutes River.
Uses or Importances:
1. Ornamental shrub.
2. Wood is strong, used for tool handles.
3. Small straight stems, once called dags (hence the original
plant name- dagwood), which are used as skewers for campfire cooking.
4. The bark was at one time dried and used as a tea for treating
colds & flu.
5. The inner bark was once used in tobacco mixtures and for
tanning or drying animal hides.
6. The white, sour berries were occasionally eaten.
7. Wildlife browse the twigs, leaves and beries.
The photo above shows the cyme of flowers and deeply veined
leaves of creek dogwood as seen at Horsethief Butte along
Washington State Highway #14 at MP 86.3................May 1, 2005.
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Close-ups of the inflorescence and whole plant of creek dogwood as seen in wetlands at Horsethief Butte in the eastern Columbia River Gorge.................May 10, 2009.
Paul Slichter