Also called American dogwood.
Part of
dogwood genus Cornus
in
family Cornaceae.
Native to 🇨🇦 Canada, and 🇺🇸 USA West and North, extending into 🇲🇽 Mexico.
🗺 Map (North America, Central America). 
Invasive > 🌐︎ various
In areas where this plant is native, this plant is among
the wet-loving (but terrestrial
) shrubs and trees planted to protect eroding streambanks, lakeshores, floodplains, stormwater detention ponds, road slopes and landslides, using a process called
live-staking.
Uses by native peoples
(Ethnobotany database)
Cornus hosts caterpillars of 121 species
of butterflies and moths, in some areas.
This plant is also known to be a host for (in areas where invasive)
🐝︎ spotted lanternfly (SLF) Lycorma delicatula.