Silky dogwood
Cornus amomum
Cornaceae


Landscape Uses:

Hedge for wet sites.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Restoration of streams and wetlands for erosion control.
Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description:
Deciduous, colony-forming shrub with leaves 3-5 inches long and small, white flowers in flat-topped clusters. Showy blue fruits in clusters.
Height:
Typically 20 feet in height.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Eastern North America south to the Florida Panhandle in Franklin, Liberty, Gadsden, Jackson, and Escambia counties.
Habitats:
Floodplain forests and lake margins
Soils:
Moist to wet, moderately well-drained to seasonally inundated soils.
Nutritional Requirements:
Low to moderate; it can grow in nutrient poor soils or soils with some organic content.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements:
Light shade to full sun.
Flower Color:
White
Flower Characteristics:
Showy clusters.
Flowering Season:
Early summer.
Fruit:
Blue, fleshy drupe.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Provides food for birds.
Horticultural Notes:
Too large and vigorously spreading for a formal landscape.
Comments:
We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page.