Cornus racemosa (Gray Dogwood)

A tough shrub. Tolerates light shade but does best in full sun. Grows in wet or dry soils and even sand. Thrives on compacted construction sites. The dogwood has white flowers in May that turn to white fruit on red panicles, which birds relish, in the fall. Locally-collected seed produces plants with early fall color of maroon-red which lasts for 2 weeks. It is a great plant to be massed in shrub borders.