Gray Dogwood
October 23, 2009
Photographer: Roger Hopkins
Summary Author: Roger Hopkins; Jim Foster
In the middle ground of the photo above note the colony of gray dogwood trees (Cornus racemosa)Though it appears that they're protruding from a mound, in fact, they're growing on a piece of flat ground in the Roy H. Park Nature Preserve of the Finger Lakes Land Trust not far from Ithaca, New York. The original plant in the center has cloned itself many times through suckers and rhizomes to form a nearly circular colony, with the youngest, smallest stems, located at the perimeter. Although viewed as an invasive species in some settings, gray dogwood, with its red stems, white berries, and fall foliage, is certainly an attractive species, and the fat-rich berries are relished as a nutritious treat by a number of birds. Photo taken on September 12, 2009.