Practical
Plants

Cornus canadensis

Creeping Dogwood

a perennial member of the Cornus genus in the family Cornaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Cornaceae
Genus
Cornus
Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
0.25 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked[1][2]. Pleasant but without much flavour[10][19][20]. The fruits are rather dry a bit gummy and rather mealy but they have a pleasant slightly sweet flavour, though they are not the type of fruit I would like to eat raw in quantity[K]. They can be added to breakfast cereals or used for making jams, pies, puddings etc[6]. An excellent ingredient for steamed plum puddings[6]. High in pectin[5], so it can be used with pectin-low fruits when making jam[K]. Pectin is said to protect the body against radiation[12]. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter[11] and is borne in small clusters on top of the plants[K].

Plant part
Fruit
Product or use
Pectin

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves and stems are analgesic, cathartic and febrifuge[16]. A tea has been used in the treatment of aches and pains, kidney and lung ailments, coughs, fevers etc[15]. A strong decoction has been used as an eye wash[15][16]. The fruits are rich in pectin which is a capillary tonic, antioedemic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and hypotensive[14]. Pectin also inhibits carcinogenesis and protects against radiation[14]. A tea made from the roots has been used to treat infant colic[15]. The mashed roots have been strained through a clean cloth and the liquid used as an eyewash for sore eyes and to remove foreign objects from the eyes[16].

Product or use
Analgesic
Product or use
Cathartic
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Kidney
Product or use
Ophthalmic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The fruit is rich in pectin[5]. A good dense ground cover plant, growing well in light woodland[17][13]. It takes a little while to settle down and needs weeding for the first few years[9] but becomes rampant when established and can then spread 60 - 90cm per year[13].

Product or use
Pectin

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Environment

Range
N. America - Newfoundland to Alaska, south to Virginia and California.
Habitat
Coniferous woods, thickets and damp clearings in peaty soils[18].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 2+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in an outdoors seedbed if there is sufficient seed[21][3]. The seed must be separated from the fruit flesh since this contains germination inhibitors[21][4]. Stored seed should be cold stratified for 3 - 4 months and sown as early as possible in the year[4]. Scarification may also help as may a period of warm stratification before the cold stratification[21][4]. Germination, especially of stored seed, can be very slow, taking 18 months or more[4]. Prick out the seedlings of cold-frame sown seeds into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on for their first winter in a greenhouse, planting out in the spring after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. This plant can be a bit temperamental when it is being divided. We have found it best to tease out small divisions from the sides of the clump, to avoid the need to disturb the main clump by digging it up. Try to ensure that each division has already produced some roots. Pot them up in light shade in a greenhouse and make sure that they are not allowed to become dry. Once they are rooting and growing away well, which might take 12 months, they can be planted out into their permanent positions.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility[1]. Easily grown in a peaty soil in shade or partial shade[7]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Grows best in sandy soils[13]. Prefers a damp soil[1]. Not suitable for alkaline soils[17][8]. A very ornamental plant[1], it grows well with heathers[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978-00-00

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  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

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  4. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  5. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2

  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  7. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2

  8. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

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  9. Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-304-31089-1

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  10. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  11. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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  12. Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

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  13. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

    ↩1↩2↩3

  14. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  15. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3

  16. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  17. Knight. F. P. Plants for Shade. Royal Horticultural Society. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-900629-78-9

    ↩1↩2

  18. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  19. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00

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  20. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

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  21. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

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