Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)

The alternate-leaved dogwood is a robust shrub that can reach 8 m in height. It can live up to 30 years. Its bark and roots were used by Native Americans to treat skin problems and childhood illnesses like measles and worms.
Its wood is heavy, hard, fine-grained and resistant to abrasion. However, it has no commercial value due to its small dimensions. In the horticultural industry, it is quite popular as an ornamental shrub because it adapts to both sunny and shady locations. A few cultivars have even been selected in order to offer the consumer plants with varied foliage colors. In addition, its tiered growth pattern, with its horizontal branches, gives it a very appreciated appearance of lightness.
However, this species is intolerant of urban pollution, which limits its use. The alternate-leaved dogwood is a shrub whose branches spread horizontally and spread out in tiers.

The deciduous leaves are oval and smooth. The upper surface is shiny and dark green, while the underside is whitish. They measure 7 to 13 cm in length and have parallel veins. Unlike all other dogwood species which have opposite leaves, this one has leaves arranged alternately at the ends of the branches.

The creamy white flowers are borne in clusters and appear in late spring. The globose fruits are blackish blue with a red peduncle.