SILKY DOGWOOD (Cornus Amomum)

River-Lab 5 Guide Manual

SILKY DOGWOOD (Cornus amomum)

Similar to swamp (or stiff) dogwood, a more southern species.

The silky dogwood, a medium-size plant, makes many contributions to basin productivity from its shoreline location. These contributions include helping to reduce flooding, siltation, and erosion; enriching soil and water; and providing food and habitat.

The silky dogwood’s sprawling cluster of stems traps mulch, which slows runoff and helps reduce flooding and erosion. As the trapped mulch later decomposes, it enriches the soil and water with nutrients. More nutrients are contributed as the shrub’s own leaves, twigs, and spent reproductive parts fall onto the shore or into the water.

In addition, the silky dogwood’s long, thin branches trail down and sprout many roots where they touch the ground or muddy river bottom. These roots help hold and accumulate soil materials, preventing shoreline erosion and oversiltation of the river and of the estuary downstream. The overhanging branches also provide cover for small wildlife. For example, ducklings resting among silky dogwood branches in the water are shielded from the view of land predators such as dogs, foxes, and people.

Silky dogwood grows up to ten feet tall and is found along the banks of wetlands, lakes, and streams. This wide, spreading shrub has a cluster of stems growing from a common point. Its purplish branches and twigs are silky, with fine smooth hairs at the tips. Its smooth green leaves (2–4 inches long) are egg-shaped with a broad base tapering to a pointed tip.

The tips of the silky dogwood’s twigs produce flat-topped bunches of tiny, creamy-white perfect flowers from late May to July. These flowers develop into small dark-blue berries in August and September. The berries are an important food for wildlife. They are preferred over the fruits of most other shrubs available at the same time. Squirrels and ten different species of birds eat them. For example, the berries are consumed by mallards and wood ducks, and by songbirds such as cardinals, mockingbirds, and robins. Migrating flocks, including starlings and grackles, often strip the shrub of berries in a single visit. By winter, when the berries are gone, other wildlife, such as deer, rabbits and chipmunks may eat the twigs, buds, and bark. Droppings of birds that have consumed dogwood berries may fall on soil. The next spring new shrubs will sprout from the seeds contained in these droppings and will continue supporting basin productivity with their valuable contributions.