# Another Bush to I.D.



## DarleneJ (Jan 29, 2012)

Thank you.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

I've seen it....the question is whether the berries turn purple or white...

Sort of looks like this:









If the berries and stems change color in the fall....?


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## primal1 (Aug 22, 2003)

Looks like a dogwwod, Cornus sp. not edible!


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

primal1 said:


> Looks like a dogwwod, Cornus sp. not edible!


Ah, yes, looking at my book I agree - Dogwood could have purple OR white berries, just different types.


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## DarleneJ (Jan 29, 2012)

Okay. I think I'm a bit confused if it is dogwood (although I like dogwood.) I know I would have identified the blossoms this spring and the fruit seems more of a larger cluster than I've seen on dogwoods before.

Also, it seems to be growing more as a bush (I didn't show that in the pics) than as a small tree. I'll see if I can find any pics of immature fruit on a dogwood, Cornus sp.

Hmmm.


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## primal1 (Aug 22, 2003)

I don't know them all but there are shrub and tree dogwoods growing from 1-15m tall. I am just getting to know them because i like them so much
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornus_(genus)
http://wiki.bugwood.org/Cornus_spp


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

My favorite book (Reader's Digest North American Wildlife) says 

Dogwoods: "Tree, shrub, wildflower - this group has representatives in all three sections of this book."

There are 15 species of North American dogwoods ranging from medium-sized trees to small wildflowers. Most are large shrubs.

My book identifies "Flowering Dogwood" which is classified as a tree, as well as Red-osier Dogwood (white berries) and Alternative-leaf Dogwood (dark blue berries). Maybe it's one of those?


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Looks like what we call swamp dogwood. Is it growing in a low lying area?


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

The branching pattern and the veins in the leaves look like dogwood. (Most dogwoods have opposite branching, and the veins in the leaves are somewhat parallel and curving towards the tip.) But, we only have white dogwood in this area (Cornus florida), and it has red berries. I'm not overly familiar w/others.


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## DarleneJ (Jan 29, 2012)

Ravenlost said:


> Looks like what we call swamp dogwood. Is it growing in a low lying area?


Well, it was a field that was farmed at one time, but now overgrown. I does get quite a bit of water though. It's clay soil, so when it does rain the water seems to lie on the surface. ...and if you dig very far down, there's more water...


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## DarleneJ (Jan 29, 2012)

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/112

Yes, swamp dogwood is more what the blossoms looked like in the spring. It didn't bloom like the more well-known types.

offthegrid, From this link: http://cypressgardener.blogspot.com/2010/09/though-swamp-dogwood-cornus-foemina-may.html

It appears that the berries turn white and then blue sometime in August maybe. It is one that many birds like. Cool!

Thanks for you help everyone!


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Yep, ours have berries that are white and turn blue in late summer. Ours grow at the bottom of a hill along the edge of the hay field. Everything drains in that direction and it's damp most of the year.

Looks like you have swamp dogwood.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

Interesting. I don't have any on my property (that I know of) and I never realized that the white berries are the same ones that turn purple. I know my friend has them because she had me evaluate the bushes to determine whether it was elderberry (nope), so I'll have to watch them and see if the go from white to purple...?

I'll also check my own property...everything is so lush right now it's very likely they are there and I just can't find them...

Thanks for the link!


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