Cornus sessilis

Cornus sessilis is a species of dogwood known by the common names blackfruit cornel, blackfruit dogwood, and miner's dogwood.

Description

This dogwood is a shrub or small tree approaching in height at maximum. It is deciduous, bearing deeply veined oval green leaves in season which turn red before falling.
The inflorescence is a cluster of tiny greenish-yellow flowers surrounded by thick, pointed bracts. The fruit is a round drupe about a centimeter wide which is white when new and gradually turns shiny black. The fruit attracts many birds.

Distribution and habitat

The species is endemic to northern California, where it grows along streambanks in the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and the coastal mountain ranges. It is a tree of the redwood understory in its native range.