This occurs mostly in Appalachian regions, from Ala. to Me., with limited western extensions into the lower Ohio and Mississipppi Valleys and into the southern Great Lakes region (K). It typically occurs on more or less hydric, medium acid soils along slowly moving streams, river pools, sloughs and ponds. There has been much confusion with obliqua; see notes under that name. These two taxa appears to intergrade locally (Z.E. Murrell in W), and some authors have combined them as varieties or subspecies (Wilson 1965; J, Y). Although native ranges and habitats are somewhat distinct, both taxa are well-dispersed by birds and can sometimes be found in atypical habitats. They have also been widely planted for varied purposes. Compared to other eastern species of Swida (= Cornus subgenus Kraniopsis), both amomum and obliqua have longitudinally splitting "braided" bark (versus irregularly platy), pith becoming brown in older branches (versus white to pale brown), leaves with moderate number of lateral veins (usually 4-6 per side), usually longer sepals (ca. 0.8-2.3 mm versus 0.4-1.2 mm), larger pollen grains (58-66 microns versus 49-56), and seeds distinctively ridged. Hybrids with other species are not well documented. Twigs are minutely sericeous when young, dull purplish to reddish, or brownish with age. These "silky dogwoods" have been much confused with stolonifera (also known as "sericea"), which usually has glaborus, deep red twigs. Both amomum ("red willow" in F) and stoloniferum are often called "red twig dogwood" by horticulturalists in Ky. The old common name "osier" has been applied to these species, as well as to some willows, reflecting their ancient use in weaving.