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Glite Dictionary
Cornus stolonifera

Cornus stolonifera

8.8
A North American shrub with red branches and white flowers
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Cornus stolonifera
  • For landscaping, Cornus stolonifera is valued for its vibrant twigs and attractive white blossoms.

Examples

  • The Cornus stolonifera in my garden displays striking red branches during winter.

  • Wildlife often seek shelter in the dense thickets formed by Cornus stolonifera.

  • The Cornus stolonifera blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Are you familiar with Cornus stolonifera?

  • For landscaping, Cornus stolonifera is valued for its vibrant twigs and attractive white blossoms.

  • The Cornus stolonifera in my garden displays striking red branches during winter.

  • Wildlife often seek shelter in the dense thickets formed by Cornus stolonifera.

Synonyms

dogwood
vsCornus stolonifera
11 5.9

A small tree or shrub that has showy flowers in spring and colorful stems

is the specific common shrub noted for reddish-purple twigs and simple white flowers
cornel
vsCornus stolonifera
1 9.9

A small tree with showy white or pink flowers and red berries

is noted for reddish-purple twigs and wetlands rather than showy bracts
red osier dogwood
vsCornus stolonifera
  • US
9.9

A shrub with red stems and small white flowers often growing near streams

is the common shrub not limited to wetland locations
red osier
vsCornus stolonifera
  • US
9.7

A North American shrub with red stems and small white flowers

is the same shrub but may grow outside wetland areas
redbrush
vsCornus stolonifera
  • US
9.5

A bush with reddish-purple twigs and white flowers that grows near wet ground

is the common shrub typically described without thicket habitat mention
American dogwood
vsCornus stolonifera
  • US
4.4

A small North American tree grown in gardens for its white spring flowers and red berries

is similar but usually takes only the shrub form rather than tree growth
red dogwood
vsCornus stolonifera
6.0

A small bush with red stems, white flowers, and berries often grown in gardens

is the common wild shrub rather than primarily a garden ornamental

Surface Forms

Cornus stolonifera singular
Cornus stoloniferas plural

Morphology

Cornus + stolonifera

This is a Latin taxonomic binomial rather than a compositional English phrase: 'Cornus' is a genus name and 'stolonifera' is a specialist Latin adjective (not a common English word). A B1 learner who knows basic English words would not be able to derive 'a common North American shrub with reddish-purple twigs and white flowers' from these constituents; the label functions as a conventional scientific name and is therefore not transparently interpretable.

Etymology

Cornus stolonifera is a plant name that tells you about the bush: Cornus is the 'dogwood' family and stolonifera means it sends out long runners along the ground that root and grow into new bushes. That's why the name helps you remember that this red-twig shrub 'spreads' by making new shoots.