Mentioning the name dogwood usually conjures up images of white billowy trees with beautiful flowers. But in reality, dogwoods are a diverse group of plants with most species growing as sprawling shrubs, not trees. Some of these, especially the red twig dogwoods, have found their way into gardens.
Several species of dogwoods produce red twigs during winter with the Siberian Cornus alba (Tatarian dogwood)¸ the European C. sanguinea (Bloodtwig dogwood) and the North American C. sericea (Redosier dogwood) the most common in the nursery trade. These three species look much alike in leaf and growth form, differing primarily in fruit color and ripening period.
The red twig dogwoods are shrubs of the cool northland where they grow along streams in thick tangles whereas the flowering dogwood is primarily a plant of the South.
Cornus sericea (long known as C. stolonifera), the redosier dogwood, grows from Newfoundland, south through the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia, through much of the upper Midwest, and even scattered in high elevations in the Rocky Mountains. It, like most of the other red-stemmed dogwoods, has an aversion for heat and humidity so they typically occur in the wild in places where temperatures are cool and moist. Because of their northern heritage it is hardy to zone 2 north but only zone 7 on the southern end of its range.
Redosier dogwood (the word “osier” is an Old English name used to describe willows with long, slender stems used in basket making) is a stoloniferous deciduous shrub growing to 10 feet tall but forming thickets wider than tall. Leaves are 3 to 5 inches long and similar in appearance to the more common dogwood.
Selections of redosier dogwoods have been made throughout their range and provide a variety of growth forms and plant sizes. Stem coloration develops on the youngest branches after the leaves fall.
‘Kelseyi’ is a dwarf form growing only 2 to 2.5 feet tall and wide with small, twiggy bright red stems. ‘Isanti’ is a more upright form growing to 5 feet tall. ‘Cardinal’ is a good red-stemmed form growing to 8 feet tall. ‘Nitida’ and ‘Flaviranea’ are chartreuse to yellow-stemmed selections. ‘Sunshine’ is a white-variegated form with golden stems. A red-stemmed variegated form is also available.
Small, off-white flowers appear in late spring after plants have leafed out in flat-topped clusters to 2 ½ inches across. The flowers are not especially showy; in the fall they are followed by clusters of white berries.
Red twig dogwoods are best used in mass plantings or as a single specimen amongst a low-growing groundcover. In the summertime, except for the variegated forms, these plants are coarse and relatively nondescript. Their biggest impact comes in the fall when they shed their leaves. The bright red coloration is most effective when displayed against snow cover or, in areas where snow is uncommon during the winter, against an evergreen backdrop.
The red twig dogwoods do best in a uniformly moist, bright location with a moderately fertile soil. They will grow in moist areas where their roots can creep into the water but will not endure standing water. High temperature and humidity cause leafspot diseases that give plants a ratty look in hot parts of the country.
As the stems get older than 3 or 4 years old they begin to develop brown bark. Cutting the plant to the plant to the ground every few years in the spring before new growth begins helps control size and maintains bright wintertime stem color.
You can find more information about horticulture, see other Plant of the Week columns, or contact your county extension agent. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
