Cornus amomum (Silky Dogwood)

Oh the value of scientific names! I have 4 shrubby Dogwoods, all purchased from the same place but at different times. One or two were labeled "Silky Dogwood", and the others "Redtwig Dogwood".
I think they are all Cornus amomum.

Viburnum Valley suggested that I post some photos, so here they are!
Unfortunately, I didn't get photos of flowers or berries. I saw berries on one of them, and they were blue. This is the first year I've had them in the ground, and they didn't produce many berries; I have higher hopes for next year.

Photo 3 shows a group of 2 shrubs, and photos 1 and 2 are close-ups of those shrubs.
Photos 5 and 6 are of a 3rd shrub growing next to the others. Its leaves look shinier than the others, but that might have been due to the lighting.

Another Cornus amomum: This one was marked "Silky Dogwood".

Photo 4 shows what's left of some berries.

Oh, I heartily agree with this! I just started keeping a wish list and rather than guessing at what the plant might be when I order, I've started keeping track of the Latin names with the common.

Last month, I was looking through a native catalogue wanting to order more Rough Blazingstar and scanning the common names I could not find what I wanted. When I called to place an order, they told me they are using a different common name because it sells better... "Button Blazingstar". Sigh...

Sorry to go off topic. I cannot help you with the Dogwoods. :)

No worries! I think they're Cornus amomum (Swamp Dogwood, Silky Dogwood, Red Willow, whatever....) and I don't really need any ID other than that. That being said, if anyone has other ideas I'd be glad to hear them!

That's interesting about the Blazingstar, but it seems to me that the type of people who order native plants wouldn't care if they're called "rough". Perhaps they have a retail store where a broader range of customers shop.

For the 'marginal' shoppers, you have to admit that Button BLazingstar sounds cuter than Rough...so there's more sales potential. But- how many changes to common names can we stand? I wish that at the least, anyone selling something with a creative common name would keep the true Latin name attached...sigh.

I just collected Liatris seed yesterday , spicata, and I believe the other came from greenthumb and is aspera? need to check notes. ...yes.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/38283/

PF calls it Button BS too.

Hm, the spikes of flowers on my 'aspera' seem very similar to, but shorter than, the spicata. I could have my species mis IDed. I can offer seeds but with that caveat.

I'm taking my excess native flower seeds to a huge field around a huge stormwater management area.

Sally, here is a photo of the L. aspera we kept on our deck in a pot for years. While the pot elevates the plant 14 to 16", it is seen to tower well above the deck railing. Our plants in the ground grow about 5 feet tall, taller than our L. spicata specimens.

It's beautiful, greenthumb. I'm looking forward to seeing the L. aspera you gave me bloom next year.

Sally, if you need more seeds, I have thousands of seeds from New England Aster and Large Leaf Aster, both sorted seeds and bags of flowers I dead-headed that might not be viable but are worth trying.

Thanks David. Between siting effects and my lack of time to observe, I'm just not sure if I have one of each sp or two of spicata. The foliage is probably even harder to distinguish between species...and in October? Fat chance!

Muddy, if I run into you sometime, I'll take them off your hands and toss them in the field. Mostly I'm using the side benefit of removing these many seeds from my back yard where if they DO grow they'll be mowed or weeded..

Sally, while bloomed out, the flower spikes are still on our L. asperas. Individual flowers are larger and more separated/discreet/isolated than the individual flowers that make up the L. spicata spikes, and characteristics should evident even now.

I didn't see either my Liatris aspera or L. spicata bloom this year, but I can see a difference in the basal foliage: Compared to L. spicata, L. aspera basal foliage is about twice as wide, lighter green and looks like it might have hairs although I haven't touched it.

In addition, rabbits adore L. spicata foliage but leave L. aspera alone.

I'll have to remember these comments next year- thanks! I'll c/p to my journal

You're welcome! GT's the real pro here, of course.
I just went outside to look at the L. aspera foliage. The few basal leaves that are left are about 3/4" wide at their widest point, smooth on the bottom with a prominent mid-rib and parallel prominent veins on either side.
L. spicata foliage disappeared a while ago, thanks to the bunnies, but I recently almost dug up what I believe are large L. spicata corms, so perhaps I'll see flowers next year after all.

gosh, I'm sure I never saw 3/4 inch wide foliage. Maybe I never had any aspera.

We'll find out in the spring, I guess!