Cornus canadensis is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae, native to eastern Asia and North America.

Cornus canadensis is a slow-growing herbaceous perennial growing 10–20 centimetres (4–8 inches) tall,[4] generally forming a carpet-like mat.

The above-ground shoots rise from slender creeping rhizomes that are 2.5–7.5 cm (1–3 in) deep in the soil and form clonal colonies under trees.

The shiny dark green leaves are produced near the terminal node and attached via petioles 2 to 3 millimetres (1⁄16 to 1⁄8 in) in length.

[5] The inflorescences are made up of compound terminal cymes, with large showy white bracts that resemble petals.

The calyx tube is obovate in shape and 1 mm long, covered with densely pubescent hairs along with grayish white appressed trichomes.

[11] However, if Cornus is treated in a narrower sense, excluding this species, it can instead be classified as Chamaepericlymenum canadense or as Cornella canadensis.

[14][15] Its native distribution includes Japan, North Korea, northeastern China (Jilin Province), the Russian Far East, the northern United States, Colorado, New Mexico, Canada and Greenland.

[17][18] Birds are the main dispersal agents of the seeds, feeding on the fruit during their fall migration.

[20] The wildflower author Claude A. Barr was of the opinion that the crimson berries are even more attractive than the flowers.