Creeping dogwood (Canadian Bunchberry)

Bunchberry
Cornus canadensis

Limited Quantities

A beautiful native woodland groundcover, Bunchberry forms lush carpets in cool, acidic forests, coniferous woodlands, and boggy habitats. Its distinctive whorls of deep green leaves are topped in late spring by showy creamy-white bracts surrounding a cluster of tiny flowers, creating the appearance of a single elegant bloom.

By late summer, the flowers give way to brilliant scarlet-red berry clusters that provide an important food source for birds and small mammals. Spreading slowly by underground rhizomes, Bunchberry creates attractive colonies that brighten the forest floor while helping to stabilize soils and retain moisture.

Ideal for shaded native gardens and woodland restoration projects, Bunchberry is one of Ontario’s most charming woodland species, offering beauty throughout the growing season with flowers, attractive foliage, and vibrant fruit.

Growing Conditions

Height: 4–8 in
Spread: Slowly spreading by rhizomes
Light: Part shade to full shade
Soil: Moist, acidic, humus-rich woodland soils
Hardiness: Zone 2–7
Growth Rate: Slow to moderate
Prefers cool, consistently moist conditions
Excellent beneath conifers, in woodland gardens, forest edges, and naturalized landscapes.

Ecological Value

• Flowers provide nectar and pollen for native bees and other woodland pollinators.
• Bright red berries are an important late-summer food source for birds, chipmunks, and other small mammals.
• Dense colonies help stabilize woodland soils and retain moisture.
• Contributes to healthy forest biodiversity and provides excellent native groundcover.

Larval Host Plant For

Supports native pollinators and beneficial woodland insects while providing valuable habitat within forest ecosystems.

Companion Species

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
Wild Leek (Allium tricoccum)
Starry False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum stellatum)
Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

Planting to Protect
Restoring to Thrive
Origin Native Plants

3.5 inch Pots