Cornus canadensis aka Canadian Bunchberry

Cornus canadensis is a small dogwood known as bunchberry. It belongs to the dogwood family, Cornaceae, and sheds its leaves. Its native range spans northern North America and eastern Asia. It grows from the Russian Far East to Japan. In North America, it reaches south through mountain regions. Its homes include mixed woods, conifer forests, and damp clearings.

This perennial forms low mats through creeping underground rhizomes. Most accounts place its height at 0.25–0.75 feet (0.08–0.23 metres). North Carolina State gives an upper height of 1 foot (0.30 metres). Reported garden widths range from 1–3.3 feet (0.30–1 metre). Slender green stems become woody only near their base. Oval leaves grow in opposite pairs near the stem tips. These crowded pairs look like a ring of leaves. The leaves have clear veins, smooth edges, and glossy green surfaces. They turn red or reddish purple before falling in autumn.

Flowers appear from May to July, depending on growing conditions. Four white bracts frame each cluster of tiny greenish flowers. The bracts provide most of the floral display. Flowers draw butterflies and other insect pollinators to the plants. Bright red fruit follows in late summer, often ripening in August. Birds eat the fruit, which can last into late autumn. People can eat the fruit raw or cook it. Its mild sweetness comes with a dry, mealy texture. Uses include sauces, preserves, pies, and puddings. Its high pectin content helps jams made with other fruit. Plants For A Future lists no known hazards.

Bunchberry grows best in cool climates beneath trees and shrubs. Give it partial shade or shade with filtered light. It needs moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Acid soil suits it best, though RHS also lists neutral soil. Avoid dry ground, and water often while plants take root. Hot summers can limit success south of USDA Zone 6. Its listed hardiness spans USDA Zones 2–6 and RHS H7.

Use bunchberry as ground cover in woods or shaded borders. Keep it away from paths, since foot traffic damages it. Growth starts slowly, and plants can be hard to establish. Established mats may spread much faster and need little upkeep. Deer and rabbits tend to leave it alone. Sources differ on its resistance to dogwood anthracnose. Stressed plants may develop this disease, leaf spots, or root rot. Scale, leaf miners, and borers can also cause trouble. RHS also lists honey fungus as a possible problem.