Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’ (Redtwig Dogwood)

Noted for its outstanding bright red winter stems, Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’ (Redtwig Dogwood) is a multi-stemmed, suckering, deciduous shrub of great ornamental value in the winter landscape. Rapidly growing and adaptable to most soils, including wet soils, it bears ovate, dark green leaves in spring and summer, which happily contrast with the cardinal red stems. Small clusters of tiny creamy flowers that will attract butterflies appear in late spring. They will give way to clusters of white berries, often blue-tinged, that are very attractive to birds. In the fall, the foliage turns attractive shades of burgundy red before falling to the ground, revealing the vibrant, glistening red stems, which beautifully radiate from the base of the shrub. An invaluable addition to the winter garden.

• Grows with a loose, rounded, spreading habit up to 6-9 ft. tall (180-270 cm) and 8-12 ft. wide (240-360 cm).
• Performs best in full sun to part shade, in organically rich, medium to wet soils. It is not fussy about soils, provided they are kept evenly moist and well-drained.
• Easy to grow, easy to care for, and deer-resistant.
• Cornus sericea looks spectacular when massed to emphasize and accentuate the cold season stem color. Great choice for shrub borders, along ponds and streams, or planted in naturalistic plantings where it can freely spread and form thickets.
• Dogwoods are susceptible to a range of pests and diseases.
• This plant is more vulnerable to diseases in hot summer climates (south of Zone 7)
• 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.
• Propagated primarily by rooted stem cuttings. Promptly remove root suckers if the colonial spread is undesired.
• Cornus sericea is a species of dogwood native to much of North America (excluding the lower Midwest and deep South). It is widely grown as an ornamental plant, whose available cultivars have been selected for their winter glowing colors.