This hardy, ornamental shrub is my plant choice for January as it can be depended upon to deliver vibrant red colour to the winter landscape. At about 5-6’ tall and wide, this particular dogwood (also known as Red-twig) features a number of notable attributes including stunning fall leaf colour, attractive berries for the birds, vibrant red stems, and (depending on the sub-variety), handsome variegated summer foliage.

While many dogwoods are rather slow-growing shrubs, Red Osier dogwoods are among the faster-growing varieties. You can expect the plants to add about 1-2’ of growth each year. They can be trimmed back all the way to the ground every few years, which will both rejuvenate the plant and control its growth. It will return within a year with young red stems.

Quick Growing Guide

Ritchie Feed and Seed Ad

Botanical Name: Cornus sericea

En français: cornouiller osier rouge

Colour:

Water: Drought tolerant

Hardiness Zones:

These dogwood shrubs should be planted where they can be easily viewed, especially if grown for their prized red bark colour. Red Osier dogwoods will tolerate partial shade, but their signature red bark will be optimal if they are planted in full sun.

About the Author

Comments

Leave a Reply

More From Gardening Calendar

Gardening In Small Spaces

Discover how to optimize your small garden space with layers of plants and create stunning color combinations for year-round blooming.

Coffee Grounds for Plants

Coffee grounds are good for some plants and not for others. We explain why and identify specific vegetables, plants and flowers.

Going to Seed

Collect Sweet Cubanelle pepper seeds and watch plants go to seed in your garden. Learn how the weather, munching leaves and too-many cats may affect the harvest. A 15 minute talk with Q&A on Trowel Talk Live helps add Whimsy to your garden.