Cornus foemina

Cornus is derived from the Latin word for horn, referring to the hard wood; foemina is an obscure reference to “female,” perhaps because the plant is smaller and more slender than other dogwoods. Cornus foemina is in the Cornaceae (dogwood) family and is native to the U.S.

Photo Credit: © Robert H. Mohlenbrock, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.

Cornus foemina

Common Name: stiff dogwood

Plant Functional Group: Deciduous broadleaf

Class > Order > Family: Magnoliopsida > Cornales > Cornaceae

What does the species look like?

Cornus foemina is a large, perennial shrub or small, deciduous tree to 20 feet tall, with multiple trunks. Twigs are reddish, becoming gray with age. The foliage of Cornus foemina is green. This species has inconspicuous, small, white, flat-topped flower clusters and conspicuous bright blue to black fruits (drupes) or seeds.

Stiff dogwood prefers fine- to medium-textured soils that are wet or moist. It has a low tolerance for drought and can tolerate salty conditions. It prefers full sun to partial shade. Its can be found in swampy, low wetland habitats, low woodlands, and damp thickets, and along streams, riverbanks, marshes, and creeks.

Several species of birds eat the fruits of Cornus foemina, including quail, catbirds, mockingbirds, robins, and brown thrashers. The nectar, pollen, and foliage of Cornus foemina attract a wide variety of insects (bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, caterpillars, moths, aphids, and beetles). The drupes are eaten by bear, raccoon, squirrel, deer, chipmunk, and mice. Beaver also eat the branches of Cornus foemina and use them in the construction of their dams. Stiff dogwood has a low to medium palatability for graze and browse animals

Where is the species found?

States & Provinces

AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA

Which phenophases should I observe?

	Do you see...?
Leaves	Breaking leaf buds One or more breaking leaf buds are visible on the plant. A leaf bud is considered "breaking" once a green leaf tip is visible at the end of the bud, but before the first leaf from the bud has unfolded to expose the leaf base at its point of attachment to the leaf stalk (petiole) or stem. More... How many buds are breaking? Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1,000 1,001 to 10,000 More than 10,000
	Leaves One or more live, unfolded leaves are visible on the plant. A leaf is considered "unfolded" once its entire length has emerged from a breaking bud, stem node or growing stem tip, so that the leaf base is visible at its point of attachment to the leaf stalk (petiole) or stem. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves. More... What percentage of the potential canopy space is full with leaves? Ignore dead branches in your estimate of potential canopy space. Less than 5% 5-24% 25-49% 50-74% 75-94% 95% or more
	Increasing leaf size A majority of leaves on the plant have not yet reached their full size and are still growing larger. Do not include new leaves that continue to emerge at the ends of elongating stems throughout the growing season. More... What percentage of full size are most leaves? Less than 25% 25-49% 50-74% 75-94% 95% or more
	Colored leaves One or more leaves show some of their typical late-season color, or yellow or brown due to drought or other stresses. Do not include small spots of color due to minor leaf damage, or dieback on branches that have broken. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves that remain on the plant. More... What percentage of the potential canopy space is full with non-green leaf color? Ignore dead branches in your estimate of potential canopy space. Less than 5% 5-24% 25-49% 50-74% 75-94% 95% or more
	Falling leaves One or more leaves with typical late-season color, or yellow or brown due to other stresses, are falling or have recently fallen from the plant. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves that remain on the plant for many days before falling. More...
Flowers	Flowers or flower buds One or more fresh open or unopened flowers or flower buds are visible on the plant. Include flower buds or inflorescences that are swelling or expanding, but do not include those that are tightly closed and not actively growing (dormant). Also do not include wilted or dried flowers. More... How many flowers and flower buds are present? For species in which individual flowers are clustered in flower heads, spikes or catkins (inflorescences), simply estimate the number of flower heads, spikes or catkins and not the number of individual flowers. Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1,000 1,001 to 10,000 More than 10,000
	Open flowers One or more open, fresh flowers are visible on the plant. Flowers are considered "open" when the reproductive parts (male stamens or female pistils) are visible between or within unfolded or open flower parts (petals, floral tubes or sepals). Do not include wilted or dried flowers. More... What percentage of all fresh flowers (buds plus unopened plus open) on the plant are open? For species in which individual flowers are clustered in flower heads, spikes or catkins (inflorescences), estimate the percentage of all individual flowers that are open. Less than 5% 5-24% 25-49% 50-74% 75-94% 95% or more
	Pollen release One or more flowers on the plant release visible pollen grains when gently shaken or blown into your palm or onto a dark surface. More... How much pollen is released? Little: Only a few grains are released. Some: Many grains are released. Lots: A layer of pollen covers your palm, or a cloud of pollen can be seen in the air when the wind blows
Fruits	Fruits One or more fruits are visible on the plant. For Cornus foemina, the fruit is berry-like and changes from green to blue. More... How many fruits are present? Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1,000 1,001 to 10,000 More than 10,000
	Ripe fruits One or more ripe fruits are visible on the plant. For Cornus foemina, a fruit is considered ripe when it has turned blue. More... What percentage of all fruits (unripe plus ripe) on the plant are ripe? Less than 5% 5-24% 25-49% 50-74% 75-94% 95% or more
	Recent fruit or seed drop One or more mature fruits or seeds have dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit. Do not include obviously immature fruits that have dropped before ripening, such as in a heavy rain or wind, or empty fruits that had long ago dropped all of their seeds but remained on the plant. More... How many mature fruits have dropped seeds or have completely dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit? Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1,000 1,001 to 10,000 More than 10,000

What do these phenophases look like?

There is currently no photoguide available for this species. If you'd like help us create one, use the guidance document and species template provided here. Then send it via email to education@usanpn.org when it is complete.

ITIS information for stiff dogwood (ITIS TSN: 27802 )

USDA PLANTS profile for stiff dogwood (USDA Symbol: COFO )

Cornus foemina

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