Korean Dogwood

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Korean Dogwood
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Cornales
Family: Cornaceae
Genus: Cornus
Subgenus: Swida
Species: C. coreana
Binomial name
Cornus coreana
Wangerin

The Korean Dogwood (Cornus coreana or Swida coreana, Korean: 산수유, sansuyu) is a deciduous shrub or small tree 8-16 m tall, native to eastern Asia in Korea and adjacent northeastern China. It has opposite, simple leaves, 5-12 cm long.

The flowers are produced in inflorescences 6-8 cm diameter, each flower individually small and whitish. The flowering is in spring, after it leafs out. The fruit is a round, reddish-purple berry 2.5-3.5 cm diameter.

It is closely related to the Chinese Walter's Dogwood (C. walteri) and the European Common Dogwood (C. sanguinea).

There is a song by singer Devendra Banhart entitled "Korean Dogwood" on his album "Cripple Crow."