North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Cornus amomum

Cornus amomum Mill.

silky dogwood

Synonym(s): Swida amomum

Image ID: 13776
Image by: Sorrie, Bruce A.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: COAM2
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cornus amomum
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2017-01-01

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: CORNU
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Cornus
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Dogwood
GENUS SUMMARY: (contributed by Z.E. Murrell & A.S. Weakley)
GENUS IDENTIFICATION:
GENUS REFERENCES: Haines (2011)=X; Godfrey (1988)=Z; Wilson (1965); Murrell (1993); Zhang et al. (2008); Xiang et al. (2006); Fan & Xiang (2001); Eyde (1987); Xiang, Soltis, & Soltis (1998); Ferguson (1966c, 1966d)=Y; Kubitzki in Kubitzki (2004).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: CORNAC
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Cornaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: (Berchtold & J. Presl) Dumortier 1829
FAMILY COMMON: Dogwood Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of 2 genera and about 85 species, trees, shrubs, lianas, and subshrubs, semicosmopolitan (mainly northern hemisphere). The Cornaceae is best circumscribed to exclude Nyssa (Xiang et al. 2002).
FAMILY REFERENCE: Xiang et al. (2002); Kubitzki in Kubitzki (2004).

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO:
STEMS:
LEAVES:
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS:
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: height and Spread 6 - 12 feet

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Shrub

LEAF ARRANGEMENT:
LEAF COMPLEXITY:
LEAF RETENTION: Deciduous

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: May-Jul

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		x	x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: Yellowish-white flowers

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
x				x

FRUITING PERIOD: Aug-Sep.

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE:
NATIVE RANGE: eastern United States

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Silky dogwood is a multi-stemmed shrub with a rounded to open habit found growing in low woods and along streams and swamp borders. Predominately in the mountains and piedmont, this species produces non-fragrant flowers borne in upright, flat-topped cymes. By August the flowers develop into attractive, blue drupes eaten by several bird species. In the landscape this species prefers moist, partially shaded situations, but also tolerates full sun on drier sites. It is best suited for massing, shrub borders and naturalizing in moist to wet soils.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Average, Moist/Wet, Well-drained
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 4
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 8
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly, Bird Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: COAM2
USDA Common Name: Silky Dogwood
Native Status: L48 (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Shrub

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW				FACW			FACW	FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cornus amomum
COMMON NAME: Silky Dogwood
SYNONYMY: [= F, G, Il, K, RAB, Va, W, WH3, WV; = Cornus amomum var. amomum - C; = Cornus amomum P. Miller ssp. amomum - GW, Pa, Y, Z; = Svida amomum - S; = Swida amomum (P. Miller) Small var. amomum - X]
PHENOLOGY: May-Jul; Aug-Sep.
HABITAT: Shores, streams, bottomlands.
COMMENTS: NY and MA west to IN, south to GA, Panhandle FL, and MS.
RANGE MAP: Cornus amomum.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Cornaceae (Berchtold & J. Presl) Dumortier 1829 (Dogwood Family)
SUMMARY: A family of 2 genera and about 85 species, trees, shrubs, lianas, and subshrubs, semicosmopolitan (mainly northern hemisphere). The Cornaceae is best circumscribed to exclude Nyssa (Xiang et al. 2002).
REFERENCE: Xiang et al. (2002); Kubitzki in Kubitzki (2004).

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Cornus L. (Dogwood)
SUMMARY: (contributed by Z.E. Murrell & A.S. Weakley)
REFERENCE: Haines (2011)=X; Godfrey (1988)=Z; Wilson (1965); Murrell (1993); Zhang et al. (2008); Xiang et al. (2006); Fan & Xiang (2001); Eyde (1987); Xiang, Soltis, & Soltis (1998); Ferguson (1966c, 1966d)=Y; Kubitzki in Kubitzki (2004).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Cornus amomum in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Cornus amomum in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Cornus amomum in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Cornus amomum in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Cornus amomum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cornus amomum

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 13776 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 13776 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 5016 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)