Rough Leaf Dogwood

Cornus drummondii

Keystone

Native to Arkansas. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 88%

Height: About 20 feet
Spread: 6–15 feet
Light: Full to part sun
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 10.5 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

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At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: Mid spring

Recorded in 52 Arkansas counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Arkansas. Shared habitat, not food. 115 animals.

American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
American Pipit
Anthus rubescens
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Anhinga
Anhinga anhinga
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Bell's Vireo
Vireo bellii
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Dickcissel
Spiza americana
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Field Sparrow
Spizella pusilla
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Fish Crow
Corvus ossifragus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Gadwall
Anas strepera
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Grasshopper Sparrow
Ammodramus savannarum
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris
Birds. 2 shared habitats
House Finch
Carpodacus mexicanus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Lapland Longspur
Calcarius lapponicus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Lark Sparrow
Chondestes grammacus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Le Conte's Sparrow
Ammodramus leconteii
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Loggerhead Shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Merlin
Falco columbarius
Birds. 2 shared habitats

Widespread birds also seen here (60)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of Arkansas

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

99CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

Genus host records with ranges including AR · Cornus

Celastrina ladonSpring Azure
Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm

Show all 99

Ancylis muricanaRed-Headed Ancylis
Anisota virginiensisPink-striped Oakworm Moth
Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Archips griseaGray Archips
Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
Archips rileyanaSouthern Ugly-Nest Caterpillar Moth
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Caloptilia belfragellaDogwood Caloptilia
Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
Euchlaena irrariaLeast-Marked Euchlaena
Euchlaena johnsonariaJohnson's Euchlaena
Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
Euchlaena serrataThe Saw-Wing
Euchlaena tigrinariaMotted Euchlaena
Eudeilinia herminiataNorthern Eudeilinia [for Eudeilinia herminiata], Dogwood Caterpillar, Southern Eudeilinia [for Eudeilinia luteifera]
Eumarozia malachitanaSculptured Moth
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
Euthyatira pudensDogwood Thyatirid
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hydrelia albiferaFragile White Carpet
Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
Hypena abalienalisWhite-Lined Bomolocha, White-Lined Snout
Hypena bijugalisDimorphic Bomolocha, Dimorphic Snout
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Olethreutes connectumBunchberry Leaffolder
Olethreutes inornatanaInornate Olethreutes
Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia garmaniGarman's Quaker
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Rifargia subrotataSmall Heterocampa
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Sphinx chersisGreat Ash Sphinx
Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Tortricidia pallidaRed-Cross Button Slug
Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
Zale aeruginosaGreen-Dusted Zale
Zale undularisBlack Zale
Acleris ptychogrammos
Carposina ottawana
Olethreutes exaeresimum
Paralobesia rhoifructana

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

15BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Cornus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

4Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Cornus

Andrena fragilis
Andrena integra
Andrena persimulata
Andrena platyparia

Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

19BirdsRecorded eating Cornus in Arkansas

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes Arkansas, most records first.

Ruffed GrouseFruit. 36 diet records
American RobinFruit. 5 diet records
Eastern BluebirdFruit. 5 diet records
Eastern KingbirdFruit. 5 diet records
Swainson's ThrushFruit and seeds. 5 diet records
VeeryFruit and seeds. 4 diet records
Wood ThrushFruit and seeds. 3 diet records
Blue-headed Vireo2 diet records
Eastern Wood-peweeFruit. 2 diet records
Evening Grosbeak2 diet records

Show all 19

Hermit ThrushFruit and seeds. 2 diet records
Philadelphia Vireo2 diet records
Red-headed Woodpecker2 diet records
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherFruit. 2 diet records
Lapland Longspur1 diet record
Northern CardinalSeeds. 1 diet record
Tree SwallowFruit. 1 diet record
White-eyed Vireo1 diet record
Wild Turkey1 diet record

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Birds that eat Cornus 19

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Ruffed Grouse
Bonasa umbellus
Fruit. 36 diet records
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Fruit. 5 diet records
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Fruit. 5 diet records
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Fruit. 5 diet records
Swainson's Thrush
Catharus ustulatus
Fruit and seeds. 5 diet records
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Fruit and seeds. 4 diet records
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
Fruit and seeds. 3 diet records
Blue-headed Vireo
Vireo solitarius
2 diet records
Eastern Wood-pewee
Contopus virens
Fruit. 2 diet records
Evening Grosbeak
Coccothraustes vespertinus
2 diet records
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus
Fruit and seeds. 2 diet records
Philadelphia Vireo
Vireo philadelphicus
2 diet records
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
2 diet records
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Empidonax flaviventris
Fruit. 2 diet records
Lapland Longspur
Calcarius lapponicus
1 diet record
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Seeds. 1 diet record
Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor
Fruit. 1 diet record
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
1 diet record
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
1 diet record

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Cornaceae
Hardiness: Zones 5–8
Flower color: White

What its natural habitat tells you

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Mid spring” · USDA PLANTS via EOL TraitBank · Nationwide approximate species characteristics; tolerance categories do not specify sun hours or moisture requirements
Flower color · “White” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Hardiness · “Zones 5–8” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Height · “About 20 feet” · USDA PLANTS via EOL TraitBank (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ) · Nationwide approximate species characteristics; tolerance categories do not specify sun hours or moisture requirements
Leaves · “Deciduous” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Life cycle · “Perennial” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Light · “Full to part sun” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
primary_flower_color · “white” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Soil · “moderately wet to moderately dry” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
Spread · “6–15 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder

Conservation status

Arkansas rank	SNR
Global rank	Not available
AR status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source

In your garden

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Rough Leaf Dogwood

At a glance

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Birds that eat Cornus 19

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Cornus