Bunchberry

Cornus canadensis

Pollinator Value

🔑 Keystone: Cornus genus supports 115 species of butterflies and moths as caterpillar host plants in the region, making it a top-tier keystone genus for lepidopteran biodiversity. Notable supported species include large saturniids (Polyphemus moth, Io moth, Cecropia silkmoth) and specialist feeders such as the Bunchberry Leaffolder.
S13 115 lepidoptera; S14 19 host records
🐛 Larval Host: Orgyia definita, Xanthotype sospeta, Acronicta funeralis, Schizura concinna, Antheraea polyphemus, Automeris io, Hyalophora cecropia, Orgyia leucostigma, Hypena bijugalis, Eudeilinia herminiata
S13+S15 10 verified Eastern NA
🐝 Specialist Bee Host: Andrena fragilis, Andrena integra, Andrena persimulata, Andrena platyparia
S17 4 monolectic Cornus (Swida) specialists
❄️ Winter Food Source: Persistent red drupes consumed by Spruce Grouse (13% occurrence), Ruffed Grouse (6.5% diet items), Pine Grosbeak, Red-eyed Vireo, and Lapland Longspur. Fruit/seed persistence through fall into winter provides a reliable food source for overwintering upland game birds and boreal passerines.
S57 5 bird species; S11 Fruit/Seed Persistence=Yes

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Globally secure (G5) with national ranks of N5 in both Canada and the United States. Ranked S5 in both Ontario and Quebec. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Abundant and widespread across the boreal and northern temperate regions.
S22 G5, N5 CA/US, S5 ON/QC; S26 not SARA listed
Rarity Ranks: QC S5 – Secure, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: A characteristic ground cover of cool, moist coniferous and mixed forests across the boreal and northern temperate zones. Found in jack pine plains, cedar swamps, and birch-fir woods on acidic, peaty or sandy substrates. Spreads extensively by rhizomes to form dense carpets beneath the forest canopy, typically associated with mossy ground, decaying wood, and Ericaceae.
S7 coniferous and mixed forests, cedar swamps, jack pine plains; S4 coniferous & mixed woods, thickets, cedar swamps, damp openings; S29 coniferous woods, thickets, peaty soils

Roles: Fire Retardant, Pollinator Attractor, Wildlife Habitat
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [HIGH]: S11 Fire Resistant = Yes (definitional)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 6 bee associations (threshold=3)] | Wildlife Habitat: S72 Hemenway (tables: 7-2, pp. 116)]
Notes: Excellent dense ground cover for cool, damp, acidic woodland gardens. Spreads 60-90 cm per year once established but takes a few years to settle in and requires weeding initially. Mulching with peat moss or pine needles is beneficial. Functionally valuable in forest-edge and woodland guilds as a living mulch that suppresses weeds while providing persistent fruit for wildlife.
S29 ground cover spreading 60-90cm/yr; S4 mulching with peat/pine needles beneficial; S72 wildlife habitat (Table 7-2)

Category: Analgesic, Cathartic, Febrifuge, Ophthalmic, Cold Remedy, Anticonvulsive, Orthopedic Aid, Tonic
S28 Moerman Drug=23 uses; S29 Analgesic, Cathartic, Febrifuge, Kidney, Ophthalmic
Notes: Extensively used by Indigenous peoples across eastern and western North America. Abnaki and Delaware used bark and whole plant decoctions for body and side pains (analgesic). Algonquin of Quebec used leaf infusion as a cathartic. Iroquois took whole-plant decoction for coughs, fevers, and tuberculosis. Carrier peoples used strong decoctions as eyewash. Roots used for infant colic and as an eyewash by multiple nations. Malecite and Micmac used berries, roots, and leaves for fits.
S28 29 medicinal uses; S29 analgesic, cathartic, febrifuge, kidney, ophthalmic

✅ Edible

Foraging Notes: Berries eaten raw or cooked by numerous Indigenous peoples including Abnaki, Algonquin, Chippewa, Cree, Kwakiutl, and Inuit. Fruits are dry and somewhat gummy with a mildly sweet flavour, best used in puddings, preserves, and sauces rather than eaten raw in quantity. High in pectin, making them an excellent addition to low-pectin fruits when making jams.
S28 13 food uses across multiple nations; S29 edibility 4/5, pectin-rich; S4 berries added to puddings, preserves, sauces