Gray Dogwood
Cornus racemosa
White berries on bright red stems against maroon fall foliage, timed for migrating warblers and thrushes. A tough colonizer that holds slopes.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
White berries on scarlet stems in fall draw more migrating birds than almost any other shrub we grow, and it thrives in the dry, tough spots where most plants fail.
Gray dogwood is one of the most underappreciated native shrubs in the mid-Atlantic, and that's mostly because it looks its absolute best in fall: white berries on bright red pedicels against foliage turning maroon-purple. The combination is striking, and the berries go fast. Migrating warblers and thrushes time their passage to arrive when gray dogwood fruit is at its peak. It's a tough colonizing shrub that spreads by root suckers to stabilize slopes and reclaim disturbed areas, exactly the role it plays in the wild, where it moves into old fields and forest edges. Give it room to run and it becomes a self-sustaining wildlife corridor that needs nothing from you.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown gray dogwood propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 5–10 ft · 5–10 ft wide
- Bloom time
- Spring
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 4–8
- Family
- Cornaceae
- Native range
- Eastern and Central North America
Care notes for gray dogwood.
Full sun to part shade in dry to average soil. One of the most drought-tolerant dogwood shrubs available. Spreads by root suckers. ideal for naturalized areas but requires management if space is limited. Little to no pruning needed. Rejuvenate every few years by cutting the oldest stems to the ground in late winter.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside gray dogwood.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.