FNPS Plant Database

Cornus amomum

silky dogwood, silky cornel

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

silky dogwood, silky cornel

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Cornus amomum

Family:

Cornaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

to 10 ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

deciduous

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Bark

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wet site hedge, wet site specimen plant especially if a clump is suitable.

Rarely planted but considerable value especially in areas where most shrubs are bare during the winter.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Seed, softwood cuttings.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Stays wet ---to--- Usually moist, occasional inundation

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval host for cecropia silkmoth ( Hyalophora cecropia ) and spring azure butterfly ( Celastrina ladon ). 





Attracts long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies. 

 Birds and small mammals consume the fruit.  Fruits used by birds and small mammals. 

Native Habitats:

Riverine swamps, natural levees along streams, lake margins. Typically in areas with shallow annual inundation, typically during the winter/early spring season.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Has considerable winter interest as its bark is smooth and red.

Citations:

Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/). Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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