As you see, the bunchberries have been collecting at a rate that soon will make them into “multitudeberries.” The plant’s scientific name reflects its abundance north of us, Cornus canadensus, but it’s also commonly called dwarf dogwood, rabbit berry, and pudding berry. It’s early summer flowers boost the species chances of survival by spraying pollen out when insects land on them.
The plant, itself, is a unique organism, not a shrub or tree. The pectin-rich red berries that will replace the flowers later in summer can be eaten by humans raw or cooked and are often made into puddings, jellies and sauces. Birds, bears, deer, hares and rabbits are known to snack on the berries when they come. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on June 4 and 6, 2025.)