Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades elliptic to narrowly ovate, pointed at the tip, tapering to rounded at the base, up to 4 inches long, up to half as wide, smooth along the edges, green and with short hairs on the upper surface, paler and hairy on lower surface; leafstalks up to ½ inch long, hairy.
Flowers: Several in round-topped clusters, appearing in May and June, each flower white, with 4 narrow petals.
Fruit: White, spherical berries up to ¼ inch in diameter, borne on red stalks.
Wood: Hard, heavy, close-grained, brown.
Use: Tool handles.
Habitat: Woods; edges of prairies.
Range: New York across to Minnesota, south to Nebraska and Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: This is the only dogwood in Illinois that is rough-hairy on the upper surface of the leaves.
