Cornus sanguinea also known as common dogwood is an upright deciduous shrub with attractive winter stem colour a dense covering of green foliage emerges in spring followed by clusters of tiny white flowers in may and june which are attractive to pollinating insects the flowers are followed by black berries which are eaten by birds and throughout autumn the leaves blaze deep red and purple when the leaves fall they reveal a thicket of bright green stems which fade to red at the tips common