redosier dogwood
Cornus sericea L.
Ceremonial & Cultural Notes
is considered a very sacred plant The nuts are very tasty and delicious, although somewhat smaller than
Plant smoked ceremonially. Additional commentary: Cheyenne elders explained that the inner white bark would be dried, pulverized and mixed with tobacco and other plants as well for smoking.215 The altar in the Sun Dance is made from this dogwood. It is bent into the shape of the rainbows that catch the moisture that sustains life on the plains.216
Artifacts/Material use: Branches used to make arrows
Inner bark mixed with skunkbush leaves in the absence of tobacco and smoked
Artifacts/Material use: Dried, pulverized under bark mixed with tobacco or dried kinnikinnick leaves and used for pipe smoking
Artifacts/Material use: The Y-shaped crotches of sticks make excellent sling shots
Artifacts/Material use: The Y-shaped crotches are used for cooking racks and kettle hangers
Artifacts/Material use: The bark is removed and the sticks used as tipi pins
Botanical Reference
Parts Documented: bark, branches, inner_bark, plant, sticks
Distribution: Moist, wooded to open sites; plains to montane; Northwest Territory, Canada to New Mexico