# common dogwood (*Cornus sanguinea*) The common dogwood is a lovely shrub with beautiful flowers and bright red stems. It grows in many places and is great for gardens and parks, adding color and beauty to nature. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![common dogwood](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cornus-sanguinea.JPG&width=800) Photo: Sten Porse, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cornus-sanguinea.JPG) ## Appearance The common dogwood is a multi-stemmed shrub with striking bright red or purple stems, especially vivid in winter. It has dark green, oval leaves that turn fiery red in autumn, and small, creamy-white flowers arranged in flat clusters, followed by dark blue-black berries. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Cornales - **Family:** Cornaceae - **Genus:** Cornus ## Interesting facts - Dogwood flowers, though tiny, attract many helpful insects like bees! - In autumn, its green leaves transform into a stunning fiery red or purple color! - Its super tough wood was once used to make skewers and small tools! - You can easily start a new plant by burying a branch, which sprouts roots! ## Special abilities - **Winter Glow:** Common dogwood has vibrant red stems that protect it from cold and sunlight, making it stand out even in winter. - **Berry Booster:** It produces dark, nutrient-rich berries that attract birds, helping the plant spread its seeds far and wide. - **Tough Timber:** Its wood is remarkably dense and hard, allowing it to withstand harsh conditions and resist damage. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 200-600 cm - **Spread:** 200-500 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Feeds on the dark berries, aiding seed dispersal. - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits its small white flowers to collect nectar and pollen. - **Shelter:** [European Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-robin) (*Erithacus rubecula*) — Small birds hide among its dense branches. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch the plants, as some can be prickly. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common dogwood? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is common dogwood? 200-600 cm ### How wide does common dogwood spread? 200-500 cm ### How big are the flowers on common dogwood? 0.5-1 cm ### When does common dogwood bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is common dogwood edible? No ### Is common dogwood toxic? Mild ### What is common dogwood's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Wildpark Bruderhaus](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wildpark-bruderhaus) — Zurich, CH · Zoo ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Dogwood: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-dogwood)