Cornus sanguinea ‘Magic Flame’ (Bloodtwig Dogwood)

Award-winning Cornus sanguinea ‘Magic Flame’ (Dogwood) is a medium-sized deciduous shrub with incredible multiseason interest. It bears large, ovate mid-green leaves in spring and summer, which happily contrast with the pale orange stems. Dense clusters of tiny white flowers that will attract butterflies appear in summer. They will give way to clusters of dark purple berries that attract birds. In the fall, the foliage turns intense shades of red, orange, and gold before falling to the ground, revealing glistening orange stems adorned with red tips. An invaluable addition to the garden.

• Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
• Growing up to 5-6 ft. high and across (150-180 cm), this Dogwood is a multi-stemmed, suckering shrub with beautiful elliptic to ovate leaves.
• Cornus sanguinea performs best in full sun to part shade, in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils. It is not fussy about soils, provided they are kept evenly moist and well-drained.
• Easy to grow and care for, it is also deer-resistant.
• Cornus sanguinea looks spectacular when massed in shrub borders or as an informal hedge or privacy screen. Combine it with dark green or blue conifers to provide contrast and with Asters or Sedums for a great fall color show.
• Dogwoods are susceptible to a range of pests and diseases.
• While pruning is not required, it should be noted that the best winter stem color appears on new growth. For the best display, cut the stems flush to the ground every 2-3 years in early spring, just as the leaf buds start to swell. This radical pruning, however, means that you will have a bare spot in the garden for a few weeks and miss the creamy-white flowers or attractive berries since they only form on second-year growth. Alternatively, if severe pruning seems too onerous, one-quarter or one-third of the oldest stems could be pruned in early spring each year to stimulate the growth of new stems.
• Cornus sanguinea is a dogwood species native to most of Europe and western Asia. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant, whose available cultivars have been selected for their winter glowing colors.