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About the plant What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.
The plant
Habit Ground Cover, Perennial, Shrub Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit perennial Plants of the World Online
Height 0.5-1 ft 15-30 cm Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread 0.5-1 ft 15-30 cm Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower Green, White Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms Spring, Summer Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range Alaska, Alberta, Aleutian Is., Amur, British Columbia, Colorado and elsewhere GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones 2-6 Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox Growing conditions
Sun Dappled Sunlight; Partial Shade Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil High Organic Matter Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH Acid (<6.0) Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture Good Drainage, Moist Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Watering Drought tolerance: Low PLANTS Database Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.
Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS.
This source reports three treatments. All are shown.
Protocol 1 N. C. Deno, 1996 Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.
Start around December 7, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.
1 Clean the flesh off the seed
2 3 Sow and cover
Temperature: 70°F 21°C
No stated waiting before sowing. Then 119 days to germinate.
100% germination in 21–119 days.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Cornus p. 33Public domain Show the original text Cornus (Cornaceae). C. canadensis germ. 70 GA-3 (100% in 3-17 w) and 40-70 GA-3(45% in 6-11 w). None germ. in 70D-40, 40-70, or outdoor treatment. A prior 3 m at 40 or 70 was detrimental and such treatments reduced germination to 35-40%. This is the first member of this famiiy to require GA-3, and the second species with seeds in a fruit that required GA-3 (the other was Alangium platanifolium). Seeds that had been WC and cleaned germ. 70 GA*3(85% in 2-5 w) and 70D(none) after 2 y DS showing that GA-3 was still required and that there had been littie dying of the seeds. The same seeds DS 2 y in the dried berries germ. 70 GA-3(44% in 5-7 w) and 70D(none) showing that it is actuallyjess preferable to store the seed in the dried berries. Incidentally, there are efforts to change the name to Chamaeperidymenum. To replace an old established name with a new name and such a cumbersome one at that only harnis communication. Anyone can see that the growth habit is somewhat different than other Cornus, but this in no way justifies an intellectually vacuous publication. Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Cornus p. 33. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list. Protocol 2 N. C. Deno, 1996 Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.
Start around October 21, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 20, 2026.
1 Clean the flesh off the seed
2 3 Cold moist stratification
Duration: 90 days · Temperature: 40°F 4°C
4 Warm moist stratification
Duration: 90 days · Temperature: 70°F 21°C
about 3 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4, in 77 days.
45% germination in 42–77 days.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Cornus p. 33Public domain Show the original text Cornus (Cornaceae). C. canadensis germ. 70 GA-3 (100% in 3-17 w) and 40-70 GA-3(45% in 6-11 w). None germ. in 70D-40, 40-70, or outdoor treatment. A prior 3 m at 40 or 70 was detrimental and such treatments reduced germination to 35-40%. This is the first member of this famiiy to require GA-3, and the second species with seeds in a fruit that required GA-3 (the other was Alangium platanifolium). Seeds that had been WC and cleaned germ. 70 GA*3(85% in 2-5 w) and 70D(none) after 2 y DS showing that GA-3 was still required and that there had been littie dying of the seeds. The same seeds DS 2 y in the dried berries germ. 70 GA-3(44% in 5-7 w) and 70D(none) showing that it is actuallyjess preferable to store the seed in the dried berries. Incidentally, there are efforts to change the name to Chamaeperidymenum. To replace an old established name with a new name and such a cumbersome one at that only harnis communication. Anyone can see that the growth habit is somewhat different than other Cornus, but this in no way justifies an intellectually vacuous publication. Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Cornus p. 33. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list. Protocol 3 N. C. Deno, 1996 Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.
Start around February 16, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on February 15, 2025.
1 Clean the flesh off the seed
2 Dry storage
Duration: 730 days · Temperature: 70°F 21°C
3 4 Sow and cover
Temperature: 70°F 21°C
about 2 years from start to sowing. Then 49 days to germinate.
44% germination in 35–49 days.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Cornus p. 33Public domain Show the original text Cornus (Cornaceae). C. canadensis germ. 70 GA-3 (100% in 3-17 w) and 40-70 GA-3(45% in 6-11 w). None germ. in 70D-40, 40-70, or outdoor treatment. A prior 3 m at 40 or 70 was detrimental and such treatments reduced germination to 35-40%. This is the first member of this famiiy to require GA-3, and the second species with seeds in a fruit that required GA-3 (the other was Alangium platanifolium). Seeds that had been WC and cleaned germ. 70 GA*3(85% in 2-5 w) and 70D(none) after 2 y DS showing that GA-3 was still required and that there had been littie dying of the seeds. The same seeds DS 2 y in the dried berries germ. 70 GA-3(44% in 5-7 w) and 70D(none) showing that it is actuallyjess preferable to store the seed in the dried berries. Incidentally, there are efforts to change the name to Chamaeperidymenum. To replace an old established name with a new name and such a cumbersome one at that only harnis communication. Anyone can see that the growth habit is somewhat different than other Cornus, but this in no way justifies an intellectually vacuous publication. Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Cornus p. 33. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list. How each step is done , in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.
Germination trials Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials
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