Rough-leaved dogwood is a small deciduous tree with shiny green leaves, showy clusters of creamy white flowers that bloom from May to June, round white fruit, and red foliage in the fall. Native to the Midwest, it grows 15 to 20 feet tall and is often found in the wild at the edge of woodlands. Although typically multi-trunked, it can be pruned to a tree form. It is fast growing and suckers profusely, making it an ideal plant for controlling soil erosion along the banks of streams. It will colonize so it can be used as a hedge. The fruit ripens from August to October and provides food for at least 40 species of birds.

Members of the genus Cornus, commonly known as dogwoods, are welcome in the home garden for their multi-season interest -- be it flowers, fruit, foliage, and/or bark -- and their range of forms from small trees to suckering shrubs. The dominant display, however, varies among the species.

Dogwoods are native to cooler temperate areas of North America and Asia. The genus includes 45-60 species, divided into subgenera about which taxonomists disagree. The Chicago Botanic Garden's collection includes almost 100 varieties of dogwood from 20 species (7 of which are native) and over 2,400 plants.