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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Cornus sericea (Red osier dogwood)
Brundage, Stephanie

Cornus sericea

Cornus sericea L.

Red Osier Dogwood, Red Osier, Red-twig Dogwood

Cornaceae (Dogwood Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: COSE16

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

Redosier or red-twig dogwood is a loose, spreading, multi-stemmed shrub, 6-12 ft. tall, with conspicuous red twigs. Dense, flat-topped clusters of creamy-white blossoms are followed by umbrella-shaped clusters of pea-sized white berries. Autumn foliage is colorful. Redosier is deciduous.

Very conspicuous red branches in winter.

The genus Cornus is Latin for a horn.

 

From the Image Gallery

34 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Drupe
Size Notes: Up to about 12 feet tall. May begin flowering at about 3 feet tall.
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AK , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DE , IA , ID , IL , IN , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MT , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OR , PA , RI , SD , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NS , PE , QC , SK
Native Distribution: Nf. to AK, s. to VA, NE, NM mts. & n. CA
Native Habitat: River banks; lake shores; wooded or open, wet areas

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Soil Description: Moist, well-drained soils.
Conditions Comments: This dogwood is adaptable to a wide range of soil and climatic conditions but is plagued by twig blight, scale and bagworms. Red twigs are especially effective in winter against the snow. Cornus occidentalis occurs throughout cismontane CA to B.C. in the same habitats as C. sericea.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Waterfowl, marshbirds and shorebirds are major users. Also large and small mammals.Deer browse on dogwood year-round.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Spring Azure

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Spring Azure
(Celastrina "ladon" )

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA

Propagation

Description: Propagate by seed or cuttings. Hardwood cuttings do not require treatment. Collected sprouts are easily established.
Seed Collection: Seeds can be stored or sown without extracting them from the fruit.
Seed Treatment: Stratify seeds for 60-90 days at 41 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Plant identfication
October 21, 2009
Hi...Can you please identfy the tall, evergreen shrub with purple plum-colored foliage that I have noticed in winter locally?...Hope so, need he color! THX
view the full question and answer

Evergreen shrubs for Michigan
June 17, 2008
I'm seeking a small-medium, ornamental, fairly compact, evergreen shrub to complement my front yard woodland wildflower garden. I want a shrub that will flank both sides of my front porch steps. I wa...
view the full question and answer

Michigan native plants for shady, low traffic area
May 10, 2006
Hello, I am looking for a recommendation for a Michigan native groundcover. I live adjacent to the Rouge River watershed and want to buy the right thing. The location is shady, infrequently walked ...
view the full question and answer

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
United States Botanic Garden - Washington, DC
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright
Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Cornus sericea in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Cornus sericea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cornus sericea

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-10-18
Research By: TWC Staff

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