Southern Swamp Dogwood

Cornus foemina

Native to Georgia (estimated)

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

102CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including GA

Genus host records with ranges including GA · Cornus

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

Show all 102

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
Celastrina neglectaSummer Azure
Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
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]
Eugonobapta nivosariaSnowy Geometer
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
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
Morrisonia evictaBicolored Woodgrain
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Olethreutes inornatanaInornate Olethreutes
Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia garmaniGarman's Quaker
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
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
Platypolia mactataAdorable Brocade, Prairie Quaker
Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
Probole nepiasariaHeath Probole
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Rifargia subrotataSmall Heterocampa
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Synanthedon geliformisPecan Bark Borer Moth
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
Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
Zale aeruginosaGreen-Dusted Zale
Zale undularisBlack Zale
Carposina ottawana
Coleophora querciella
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

28BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Cornus

Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush
Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
Catharus fuscescensVeery
Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush

Show all 28

Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
Contopus virensEastern Wood-Pewee
Empidonax alnorum/trailliiAlder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)
Empidonax flaviventrisYellow-bellied Flycatcher
Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
Melanerpes erythrocephalusRed-headed Woodpecker
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Sayornis nigricansBlack Phoebe
Tachycineta bicolorTree Swallow
Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
Vireo gilvusWarbling Vireo
Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Vireo philadelphicusPhiladelphia Vireo
Vireo solitariusBlue-headed Vireo

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Cornaceae
Hardiness: Zones 6a–10b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: White

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Spring and summer” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Flower color · “White” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Hardiness · “Zones 6a–10b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “10–25 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
primary_flower_color · “white” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Soil · “Good drainage; Moist; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “10–15 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Southern Swamp Dogwood; Stiff Dogwood

Conservation status

Georgia rank	Not available
Global rank	Not available
GA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source

In your garden

Will it fit your spot?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

Choose a county to begin.

How to check your spot