Blackfruit Dogwood
Cornus sessilis
Care
part shade
moderate
Medium, Slow; Moist to wet. Tolerates heavy clay soils. Tolerates saline soil..
8–16ft tall , 3–9ft wide
Mar-May
Deciduous
Prized
Supports up to 58 butterfly and moth species in Mediterranean California
Foothill woodlands and chaparral of the Sierra Nevada and inner Coast Ranges from Shasta to Kern counties, 1000-5000 ft elevation.
Care Guide
Planting
Plant your Blackfruit Dogwood in partial shade with moist to wet soil - it actually thrives in heavy clay, so don't amend aggressively if that's what you have. Choose a spot with medium to slow drainage; this native understory shrub prefers consistent moisture over fast-draining soil. Plant in fall or winter when the plant is dormant, spacing it with room to reach 8–16 feet tall at maturity.
After Planting
Water weekly through your first summer, then reduce to once monthly during establishment; once mature, it needs water maybe once a month at most in summer. Your Blackfruit Dogwood will drop its leaves in winter and turn red before dormancy - this is normal, not a problem. Prune minimally after flowering (March–May) to maintain shape, but the plant is easygoing and won't demand much attention once established.
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Wildlife Supported
Birds
frugivorous diet during fall migration staging and winter months; dogwood drupes important protein source
highly specialized frugivore; feeds on dogwood drupes in late fall through winter when other fruit depleted
Insects
fungal pathogen affecting foliage health; may increase during humid spring and fall conditions
Mammals
winter browse on stems and young growth during dormant season
browsing on stems and leaves during winter when preferred forage scarce