The leaves are opposite, 5–12 centimetres (2–4+1⁄2 inches) long and 2.5–6 cm (1–2+1⁄2 in) broad, with an ovate to oblong shape and an entire margin; they are dark green above and glaucous below; fall color is commonly bright red to purple.

[7] It is a variable species, with two subspecies commonly accepted: The Latin specific epithet sericea means "silky", referring to the texture of the leaves.

The stems and especially new shoots are browsed by moose, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, beavers, and rabbits, while the fruits are an important autumn food source for bears, small mammals, and 47 different bird species.

The cultivars 'Bud's Yellow',[11] 'Flaviramea'[12] with lime green stems, and 'Hedgerows Gold'[13] (variegated foliage) have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (confirmed in 2017).

[citation needed] Cornus sericea is frequently used for waterway bank erosion protection and restoration in the United States and Canada.

Its root system provides excellent soil retention, it is hardy and provides an attractive shrub even when bare in winter, and its ability to be reproduced by cuttings makes it a low-cost solution for large-scale plantings.

[19][20] Among the Algonquian peoples such as the Ojibwe, the smoking mixtures, known as kinnikinnick, blended the inner bark with tobacco,[4] while more western tribes added it to the bearberry leaf to improve the taste.