🌿 Identification Guide

How to Identify Cornaceae

29 species · Plantae · Order Cornales

Cornaceae is a plant family in the Plantae kingdom, order Cornales, class Magnoliopsida. The family contains 29 accepted species worldwide. Some species in this family are toxic — exercise caution when handling unknown specimens.

Key Identification Features

Its leaves are arranged oppositely, measure 4 to 10 cm long and 2 to 4 cm broad, have an ovate to oblong shape, and feature smooth entire margins.
Its branches grow in distinct horizontal, tiered layers separated by gaps, creating a layered, tiered appearance with an overall flat-topped crown that resembles a pagoda.
98 in) broad, rounded in shape, and often has a distinct notch at the apex.

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Representative Cornaceae Species

Cornus mas L.

Cornus mas L. is a deciduous shrub or small tree with early yellow flowers, intr…

Cornus rugosa Lam.

Cornus rugosa, also called roundleaf dogwood, is a small shrub or tree that host…

Alangium chinense (Lour.) Harms

Alangium chinense is a Cornaceae flowering plant used in traditional Chinese med…

Cornus controversa Hemsl.

Cornus controversa, the wedding cake tree, is a deciduous dogwood native to East…

Cornus sanguinea L.

Cornus sanguinea L. (common dogwood) is a deciduous shrub native to most of Euro…

Cornus kousa Bürger ex Hance

Cornus kousa is an ornamental dogwood tree with showy spring blooms, edible frui…

⚠️ Poisonous

Cornus capitata Wall.

Cornus capitata, commonly Bentham's cornel, is an evergreen ornamental dogwood n…

Cornus racemosa Lam.

Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) is a shrubby dogwood that forms thickets, produce…

Cornus alternifolia L.f.

Cornus alternifolia (alternate-leaf dogwood) is a small deciduous tree/shrub use…

Alangium platanifolium (Siebold & Zucc.) Harms

Alangium platanifolium is a species of Alangium found at elevations below 2000 m…

Cornus florida L.

Cornus florida L. (flowering dogwood) is a small deciduous flowering tree widely…

⚠️ Poisonous

Cornus officinalis Siebold & Zucc.

Cornus officinalis is a large deciduous shrub valued for garden year-round inter…

Browse all 29 Cornaceae species →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you identify Cornaceae?

Cornaceae plants belong to the Cornales order in the Plantae kingdom. Its leaves are arranged oppositely, measure 4 to 10 cm long and 2 to 4 cm broad, have an ovate to oblong shape, and feature smooth entire margins. For instant identification, use the iNature app — AI-powered and works offline.

What are the key characteristics of Cornaceae?

Cornaceae is classified in the order Cornales, class Magnoliopsida, phylum Tracheophyta. Its branches grow in distinct horizontal, tiered layers separated by gaps, creating a layered, tiered appearance with an overall flat-topped crown that resembles a pagoda.

⚠️ Are any Cornaceae species poisonous?

Yes, some Cornaceae species are toxic or poisonous. Always exercise caution with unknown specimens. View poisonous Cornaceae species or browse the full poisonous species guide.

Sources: GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia · Disclaimer

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