Red twig dogwood

Cornus sericea (KOR-nus ser-REE-see-ah)

Family: Cornaceae Native Shrub (3-15 ft)

Red-twig dogwood is a large, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub in the dogwood family (Cornaceae) and native to most of North America, including North Carolina. Growing to a height and width of 6 to 9 feet, it is typically found growing in damp boggy areas, riparian areas, or wetland margins. “Sericea” is Latin for silky and refers to the fine hairs found on the leaves and new twigs. Although it tolerates a range of soil conditions, including wet and dry sites and heavy clay soil, it prefers organically rich, consistently moist soil. Plant it in full sun to partial shade, though plants can become stressed in full sun during our hot southern summers. Its showy red stems provide great winter interest. The brightest color occurs on new stem growth, so prune the plant back in early spring to stimulate more growth. It grows vigorously and spreads by underground stems to form a colony that can become weedy in some areas, though its spreading roots can help mitigate erosion. If its spread is undesirable, root prune it with a spade. White flowers appear in the early summer, followed by white berries that last into the fall and are a food source for songbirds. The leaves turn attractive shades of orange or red, fading to purple in the fall. When they drop, the showy bright red stems make this plant have true year-round interest. This wildlife plant is a larval host for butterflies and supports bees and birds, so it makes an excellent addition to a pollinator garden. It works well as a specimen, massed in a shrub border, or used in front of an evergreen hedge for contrast. Tolerating wet areas allows it to be planted in low spots in the landscape. Use multiple plants to form a hedge or thicket and provide screening or security. This plant is seldom browsed by deer. Quick ID Hints: Vibrant red stems and twigs are very conspicuous in the winter months Dense clusters of flat-topped, creamy-white flowers in mid- to late-spring Bluish-tinged white berries in late summer and early fall Reddish-purple fall foliage Insects, Diseases, and Other Problems: Borers, leaf miners, and scale are potential insect pests. While not susceptible to dogwood anthracnose, when stressed, it is susceptible to a large number of disease problems, including powdery mildew, leaf spot, canker, root rot, and leaf and twig blight. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center has a factshee t on common pests and diseases. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Cornus .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ Reconciled to full toolbox: matched by slug to slug 'cornus-sericea'. Identity (id/common/scientific name) preserved from the original 87-plant Hunnicutt set; attribute data refreshed from the 68-attribute toolbox scrape.