Bunchberry

Sun

Partial shade or dappled woodland shade; tolerates more sun in cool climates if the soil remains moist.

Water

Keep consistently moist but not waterlogged; shallow roots are vulnerable to drying out.

Soil

Acidic, humus-rich, well-drained soil, preferably around pH 4.5-6. Avoid chalky soil and heavy, poorly drained clay.

Height

0.3-0.7 ft (0.1-0.2 m)

Spread

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m), eventually forming wider colonies through creeping rhizomes

Flowers

Late spring to early summer; tiny greenish flowers surrounded by four showy white bracts.

Foliage

Oval, prominently veined green leaves clustered near the stem tips; often turn red or purple in autumn.

Growth

Slow to establish, then moderate spreading in suitable conditions

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.1 ft (0.04 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.2 ft (0.07 m)

3. After 2 years

   0.4 ft (0.11 m)

4. After 3 years

   0.5 ft (0.14 m)

5. After 5 years

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant in spring or early autumn, keeping the root ball at its original depth.
• Water during dry spells before the shallow root zone dries out.
• Apply a thin mulch of leaf mould or fine composted bark each spring.
• Avoid heavy feeding; use a light application of fertiliser for acid-loving plants only if growth is poor.
• Keep fallen leaves as a light woodland mulch, but remove thick, smothering mats.
• Avoid hoeing or walking through established patches, which damages shallow rhizomes.

Pruning. No routine pruning is needed. Remove dead stems in early spring and lift unwanted rooted growth at the edge of the patch.

Early spring

Remove dead stems and check that winter debris is not smothering emerging shoots.

Spring

Plant or divide small sections and water them in thoroughly.

Late spring

Apply a thin layer of leaf mould and enjoy the white bracts.

Summer

Check soil moisture during warm weather and water deeply enough to moisten the root zone.

Late summer

Leave red berries for birds and check whether spreading shoots need containing.

Autumn

Plant in cool, moist conditions and retain a light covering of fallen leaves.

• Use as a low carpet beneath deciduous trees where roots do not make the soil too dry.
• Plant with ferns and woodland perennials for contrasting leaf shapes.
• Edge shaded paths with colonies that provide white spring bracts and red late-season fruit.
• Combine with rhododendrons and other acid-soil shrubs in cool woodland borders.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Wildlife garden, Moss and fern garden, Pacific Northwest woodland, Japanese and New England.

Plant it with: Christmas fern, Lady fern, Foamflower, Wild ginger, Rhododendron and Trillium.

Wildlife: Flowers attract small pollinating insects, and birds and small mammals eat the berries. Dense patches provide low cover for woodland invertebrates.

• Scorched or collapsing growth in hot, dry weather: increase shade, maintain moisture and mulch; choose another groundcover if summers are consistently hot.
• Yellow leaves on alkaline soil: test the pH and move plants to naturally acidic soil or a suitable acidic growing medium.
• Root and rhizome rot in saturated soil: improve drainage or relocate plants; do not leave roots standing in water.
• Slugs and snails damaging young shoots: remove hiding places near affected plants and use wildlife-conscious controls where necessary.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. The red fruit is edible but bland and seedy; specific animal safety information is limited, so discourage pets from eating large quantities.

• Dwarf cornel (Cornus suecica)

  Has dark purple central flowers within the white bracts and more clearly spaced pairs of leaves along the stems; bunchberry has pale greenish flowers and leaves crowded near the stem tips.

• Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

  Has alternate, heart-based leaves and a short cluster of small white flowers without four large white bracts.

Bunchberry refers to the tight clusters of red fruit, while canadensis means 'of Canada'.

Propagation. Divide rooted sections of the creeping rhizomes in spring or early autumn and replant promptly without letting them dry out. Seed is slow and irregular to germinate and may need successive warm and cold periods.

Accepted botanical name

Cornus canadensis

In the US and Canada

Native in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Native range

Alaska, Alberta, Aleutian Is., Amur, British Columbia, Colorado, Connecticut, Greenland, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana and Iowa.

Measured

Average height 14 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.