Ontario Wildflowers website

Bunchberry
Cornus canadensis

Other common names: Bunchberry Dogwood, Dwarf Cornel

French names: Cornouiller du Canada

Family: Dogwood Family (Cornaceae)

Distinctive features: Sub-Shrub; Very low plants, typical dogwood leaves, bright white flowers, red berries.

Flowers: Summer;  White;  4 parts (petals);  White, tiny cluster, surrounded by white petal-like bracts.

Leaves: Opposite/Whorled, Simple, Entire;  Whorled on one tier. Occasionally on two tiers. Typical Dogwood style leaves.

Height: 5-15 cm (2-6 in)

Habitat: Forests;  Common in woods everywhere. Also in bogs.

Edible: The berries are edible, but hardly worth it due to the single hard seed at the center to which the edible part clings tenaciously.

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 152    Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers: 4    ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario: 242   

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: Very common.

Origin and Meaning of Names:
 Scientific Name: canadensis: of Canada


For more information visit: Ontario Trees and Shrubs

Photographs: 118 photographs available, of which 9 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page
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Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

A "grove" of Bunchberry in the forest, in bloom.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Closer view of some flowers.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Flowers done, fruits forming. The white "petals" are actually bracts surrounding a cluster of tiny individual flowers.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Fruit forming in July.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Alsmot-ripe berries.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Ripe fruits in July. These berries are edible. However, they are hardly worth the effort, as they contain a very large and very hard single seed. The fruit pulp sticks tenaciously to this seed, and it's very difficult to separate.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Bunchberry make a great ground cover, if you are into native plant gardening and naturalizing your property.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

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Range map for Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

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)