Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
This plant is a wildlife rockstar! The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract a wide variety of insects, especially native bees. It is the larval host to the beautiful Spring Azure and 119 other caterpillars in our area (nwf.org) and it is the host to three specialist bees Andrena fragilis A. persimulata, and A. platyparia (Holm, 2017). The berries of Dogwoods are an important food source for many birds (Audubon.org) and are also eaten by many mammals. Both the Cottontail Rabbit and White-Tailed Deer browse on the branches and leaves, so you may need to protect it for a while until it can handle some browsing. This shrub has the capability to form dense thickets if the environment is right. This dense branching structure makes Gray Dogwood a great nesting site for several songbirds. (illinoiswildflowers.info).
Photo Credit: Cranbrook Science (1), John Blair (2-3)
This plant is a wildlife rockstar! The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract a wide variety of insects, especially native bees. It is the larval host to the beautiful Spring Azure and 119 other caterpillars in our area (nwf.org) and it is the host to three specialist bees Andrena fragilis A. persimulata, and A. platyparia (Holm, 2017). The berries of Dogwoods are an important food source for many birds (Audubon.org) and are also eaten by many mammals. Both the Cottontail Rabbit and White-Tailed Deer browse on the branches and leaves, so you may need to protect it for a while until it can handle some browsing. This shrub has the capability to form dense thickets if the environment is right. This dense branching structure makes Gray Dogwood a great nesting site for several songbirds. (illinoiswildflowers.info).
Photo Credit: Cranbrook Science (1), John Blair (2-3)
This plant is a wildlife rockstar! The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract a wide variety of insects, especially native bees. It is the larval host to the beautiful Spring Azure and 119 other caterpillars in our area (nwf.org) and it is the host to three specialist bees Andrena fragilis A. persimulata, and A. platyparia (Holm, 2017). The berries of Dogwoods are an important food source for many birds (Audubon.org) and are also eaten by many mammals. Both the Cottontail Rabbit and White-Tailed Deer browse on the branches and leaves, so you may need to protect it for a while until it can handle some browsing. This shrub has the capability to form dense thickets if the environment is right. This dense branching structure makes Gray Dogwood a great nesting site for several songbirds. (illinoiswildflowers.info).
Photo Credit: Cranbrook Science (1), John Blair (2-3)
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial sun
Soil Moisture: Medium
Height: Up to 15 feet
Plant Spacing: 10-15 feet
Bloom Time: May - June
Bloom Color: White
Advantages: Caterpillar Favorite, Pollinator Favorite, Deer Resistant, Bird Favorite, Great landscaping plant
Host Plant: Spring Azure, Polyphemus moth, the Cecropia Silkmoth, and 119 other species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (nwf.org)
Specialist Bee: Short-tongued bee Andrena fragilis, A. persimulata, and A. platyparia (Holm, 2017)
Resource: Holm, Heather. Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide. Pollination Press, 2017
