Distinctive features: Shrub; This is the only Dogwood with alternate leaves.
Similar species: Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - Has opposite leaves and branches. Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) - Has opposite leaves and branches; usually grows in damper soil.
Round-leaved Dogwood (Cornus rugosa) - Has opposite leaves and branches; leaves are obviously round. Leaves have more than 6 veins. Dogwoods - All other dogwoods have opposite leaves and branches.
PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.
(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website
and is displayed here in accordance with their
Policies)