Many of the routes I hike and paddle are near riparian zones and red ossier dogwood (cornus stolonifera sp.) is frequently spotted.   It blooms in late spring with clusters of white flowers at the ends of stems.

Later in the season clusters of white berries form.   The plant (berries and the soft wood) is a source of winter food for deer, moose, and elk.

When I kayak the lakes are rivers, red ossier dogwood often stands on the shore, featuring red stems and branches, white flowers or berries, and the birds that frequent the shrub’s interior.

The flowering images were taken in the Floodlands from my kayak.