Table of Contents for Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) is a low deciduous shrub that is native to the northern United States, the higher elevations of the southwest, and Canada. This plant is a host to the Spring Azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon) and the Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia). Growing from 0.5 to 1 foot tall, this species has green to white flowers that bloom from May to July. This shrub is hardy in zones 2-7.
Taxonomy and Naming of the Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
Taxonomy
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) was originally named and described by Carl von Linnaeus in Species Plantarum (1753). This species has kept the same name since, but has had a lot of forms that is reflective of it variability as a species. This shrub is a member of the Dogwood Family (Cornaceae).
Meaning of the Scientific and Common Names
Scientific Name
The genus name, Cornus, is from the Latin word “cornu,” which means horn (Missouri Botanical Garden) and refers to the toughness of the wood. The species name, canadensis, is a Latinized form of the original collection location.
Common Name and Alternative Names
The common name comes from a description of the red berries. Other common names include Canadian Bunchberry, and Canadian Dwarf Cornel, and Dwarf Dogwood, which describe the short-stature of this plant, and creeping dogwood for its creeping habit. Another name, pudding-berry (Bailey and Bailey 1976), describes a food use of the fruits.
Physical Description of Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
Description
- Plant Type: This plant is a low deciduous shrub.
- Height: 0.5 to 1 foot tall
- Stem: The stem is woody at the base, but otherwise appears herbaceous. The stems spread via a rhizome.
- Leaves: The leaves are opposite, simple, entire, and elliptic to ovate in shape. The leaves are 1 to 3 inches long and up to an inch in width. The leaves may appear to be whorled.
- Flower color: green to white
- Blooming period: This plant blooms from May to July.
- Fruiting type and period: This plant fruits with red berries in the summer.
Range of Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) in the United States and Canada
This species is native to the northern and higher elevations of the southwestern United States and is throughout Canada.
Habitat
This dogwood generally grows in shrub swamps and the edges of waterbodies, either as monotype or with other shrubs.
Hosted Insects
This species is a host for the Spring Azure Butterfly (Celastrina ladon), the Io Moth (Automeris io), and the Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia).
Other Supported Wildlife
This species is a nectar source to other butterflies, skippers, and bees. It is also a food source for birds in the late summer and fall. The fruits are also eaten by mammals, large and small.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
Is this plant deer resistant?
This plant has been noted to be deer resistant (Missouri Botanical Garden).
Does this plant have any ethnobotanical uses?
The Native American Ethobotanical Database shows that this shrub has been used for pharmaceuticals, for smoking, and as a food.
How is this plant distinguished from other dogwoods?
This dogwood, along with the dwarf cornel (Cornus suecica) are two of the shortest dogwoods in North America and both can be identified by this fact. However, C. seucica is found in bogs, while C. canadensis is found in forested areas. In addition the flower of dwarf cornel is purplish-black, while bunchberry is white (Flora of Newfoundland and Labrador(PDF)). These two plants can hybridize producing plants that are intermediate (Cornus x intermedia) (Wikipedia). The flowers on both shrubs are very similar to those seen on the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), but the bunchberry is probably more so.
Is this plant invasive?
This plant has not been shown to be invasive in the literature.
What are some interesting facts about this plant?
There are two short dogwoods in the North America, this one and the dwarf cornel (Cornus suecica). There are also several hybrids associated with these species.
Gardening with Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
Add Bunchberry to Your Garden
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Hardiness
This species is hardy in zones 2-7. If your garden is within these zones and you have the right growing conditions (soil, moisture and exposure), you may well be able to grow this plant. However, if planted outside of its range, the hosted species may not recognize the plant or be harmed by ingesting a different species with an unfamiliar chemical composition.
Optimal Conditions
This species grows best in places that have full sun to shade and moist to medium acidic soils that are well-drained. It does not tolerate dry soils.
References
- Bailey, Liberty Hyde and Ethel Zoe Bailey. 1976. Hortus Third. (New York: MacMillan Publishing Company).
