Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Cornales

Family Cornaceae – Dogwood family

Genus Cornus L. – dogwood

Species Cornus unalaschkensis Ledeb. – western cordilleran bunchberry

A delightful low deciduous dogwood ground cover growing only 2-8" tall and spreading rapidly (as much as 2-3' per year).

The leaves form whorls and are glossy green with whitish undersides.

The flowers are true dogwood flowers - four white bracts surrounding a pincushion of tiny flowerets.

Bunchberry often blooms a second time in the fall.

Red berries form in a cluster in the fall and were used as a food source by Natives.

Bunchberry is being investigated as a treatment for cancer.

Found across North America and Northeast Asia, Bunchberry is hardy between USDA zones 2-9.

Bunchberry likes shade and acidic, moist soil, doing well in rotted log material.