Red Dogwood provides seasonal radiance

The Dogwood family includes trees, shrubs and groundcovers but for winter interest, you can’t beat the Red Osier Dogwood. Also referred to as Red Twig Dogwood (cornus stolonifera), this fast-growing shrub has bright red stems that provide an oasis of color on winter days.

It is a native plant, growing in moist areas all over North America. This deciduous shrub has dark green leaves during the growing season that turn a brilliant red in the fall. The plants can be used as screens or borders, or even as a specimen in the garden.

Reaching anywhere from five to 15 feet in height, it features erect red stems with short horizontal branches. The best colors of the stems come from newer growth so it is wise to prune out one-third of the old growth each spring. The shrubs tend to form large clumps by spreading from underground stems (stolons) and rooting branches.

The fibrous roots of Red Osier Dogwoods make them easy to transplant and can help reduce erosion on slopes. They are wind-tolerant and can be drought-tolerant once they are well-established, although they prefer frequent, ample watering.

In May and June, the shrubs sport small white flowers which are followed by clusters of white or blue berries. Birds and other wildlife enjoy eating the berries, and the branch network provides good nesting sites.

Cultivars include cornus sericea ‘Baileyi,’ a 6 to 9 foot shrub that has very bright red twigs and does not spread by underground stems. ‘Kelseyi’ is a dwarf variety that only grows to about 18 inches tall. ‘Flaviramea’ is the Yellow Twig Dogwood, which has stems that provide golden colors during the winter.

The Spokane County Conservation District has Red Osier Dogwoods available through its annual tree and shrub seedling sale. The order deadline is March 14 and quantities are limited. For more information, go to www.sccd.org or call (509) 535-7274.