Native dogwoods come in three basic forms: shrubs (Cornus sericea), the ground cover bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), and the dogwood tree. The BLNPG has both red- and yellow-twig versions of this attractive shrub, and also a compact form. Sericea grows to over 8 feet, and is often found in wetlands--find it in the rain garden of the BLNPG. Flowers are flat white clusters. The red or yellow stems are highly visible in winter and provide striking, attractive color.
Some natives smoked the dried bark during ceremonies. They also boiled it and used the tea to treat coughs, colds, fever, and diarrhea. Beavers use the stems to build dams; many woodland mammals and birds eat the berries or find cover in red-twig dogwood