Other common names:
Bunchberry Dogwood, Dwarf Cornel French names:
Cornouiller du Canada Family: Dogwood Family (Cornaceae) Distinctive features: Sub-Shrub; Very low plants, typical dogwood leaves, bright white flowers, red berries. Flowers: Summer; White; 4 parts (petals); White, tiny cluster, surrounded by white petal-like bracts. Leaves: Opposite/Whorled, Simple, Entire; Whorled on one tier. Occasionally on two tiers. Typical Dogwood style leaves. Height:
5-15 cm (2-6 in) Trunk:
Stem very short - this is a "subshrub". Habitat: Forests; Common in woods everywhere. Also in bogs. Edible:
The berries are edible, but hardly worth it due to the single hard seed at the center to which the edible part clings tenaciously.
Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 152 Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers: 4 ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario: 242 Native/Non-native:
Native Status:
Very common.
Origin and Meaning of Names:
Scientific Name: canadensis: of Canada For more information visit: Ontario Wildflowers
, Ontario Trees and Shrubs Photographs:
118 photographs available, of which 9 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.
A "grove" of Bunchberry in the forest, in bloom.
Closer view of some flowers.
Flowers done, fruits forming. The white "petals" are actually bracts surrounding a cluster of tiny individual flowers.
Fruit forming in July.
Alsmot-ripe berries.
Ripe fruits in July. These berries are edible. However, they are hardly worth the effort, as they contain a very large and very hard single seed. The fruit pulp sticks tenaciously to this seed, and it's very difficult to separate.
Bunchberry make a great ground cover, if you are into native plant gardening and naturalizing your property.
If you enjoyed this website you might also enjoy these other websites in the Wildwood Canada group
