Red osier dogwood

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; stem colour is strongest in sun.

Water

Medium to high; prefers consistently moist ground and tolerates wet soil and occasional flooding. Established plants tolerate brief dry spells, but prolonged drought causes stress.

Soil

Moist, organically rich soil, including clay; tolerates poorly drained ground and a broad range of soil pH.

Height

6-9 ft (1.8-2.7 m)

Spread

8-12 ft (2.4-3.7 m), eventually wider if suckers are left unchecked

Flowers

Small creamy-white flowers in flat clusters in late spring to early summer; occasional later flowers.

Foliage

Opposite, oval green leaves with curved veins; often turns reddish-purple in autumn before falling.

Growth

Fast

Care needed

Medium

• Water deeply during dry spells for the first two growing seasons; keep the root zone moist rather than letting it dry out repeatedly.
• Apply a 2-3 in (5-8 cm) layer of organic mulch in spring, keeping it clear of the stem bases.
• Top-dress with compost in spring; routine fertiliser is usually unnecessary in ordinary garden soil.
• Remove unwanted suckers and stems that root where they touch the ground.
• Leave space for air circulation rather than crowding it against other shrubs.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, remove about one-third of the oldest stems at ground level to encourage brightly coloured new growth. Alternatively, cut an established, vigorous plant back to 2-4 in (5-10 cm) every two or three years, accepting fewer flowers and berries that season.

Late winter

Remove old stems at ground level before new growth starts.

Spring

Plant while the soil is workable, water thoroughly and mulch the root zone.

Late spring

Check new leaves and stems for spotting or dieback; remove dead wood.

Summer

Water during prolonged dry weather and remove suckers spreading beyond the allotted space.

Autumn

Plant or move young shrubs after leaf fall while the ground remains workable.

Winter

Take dormant hardwood cuttings from healthy young stems.

• Plant in groups beside a pond or rain garden, where the spreading roots can occupy damp ground.
• Set against dark evergreen shrubs to make the red winter stems more visible.
• Combine with ornamental grasses and moisture-loving perennials for summer texture and winter structure.
• Use as an informal boundary or wildlife thicket where suckering growth has room to develop.

Garden styles it suits: Winter interest, Woodland, Wildlife garden, Bog garden, Rewilded and Native hedgerow.

Plant it with: Winterberry holly, Royal fern, Siberian iris, Tufted hair grass and Marsh marigold.

Wildlife: Flowers support visiting insects, including bees, and birds eat the berries. Dense growth provides cover and nesting sites; deer may browse the shoots.

• Stem canker or dieback: cut affected stems back to healthy wood in dry weather, disinfect tools between cuts and reduce drought stress.
• Leaf spots: remove fallen infected leaves, avoid overhead watering and improve air circulation; light spotting rarely needs treatment.
• Powdery mildew: avoid crowding and excessive nitrogen feeding; tolerate minor late-season infection.
• Dull stems or a congested thicket: remove older wood regularly and dig out unwanted suckers.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. The berries are not recommended for human consumption, and eating quantities may cause stomach upset.

Where it spreads. Spreads strongly by suckers and stems rooting into damp ground, including within its native North American range. It is listed as an invasive non-native species in Ireland and is locally invasive in wet habitats in Great Britain; avoid planting near natural wetlands in these regions.

• Common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)

  Also has opposite leaves and reddish winter stems, but its ripe fruits are black rather than white.

• Silky dogwood (Cornus amomum)

  Has blue ripe fruits rather than white ones; young twigs typically have brown pith, while red osier dogwood has white pith.

The species name sericea means silky, referring to its fine hairs, while red osier describes the reddish, flexible stems that resemble willow osiers.

Propagation. Take hardwood cuttings after leaf fall, or detach rooted suckers during dormancy. Low branches can also be layered into moist soil; use cuttings or suckers to preserve a named cultivar.

Accepted botanical name

Cornus sericea

In the US and Canada

Native in Alaska, Canada, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Native range

Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa and Kansas.

Measured

Average height 72 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.