Redtwig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Family Cornaceae
When everything else goes gray, redtwig dogwood catches fire: a thicket of vivid red — or gold — stems that glow against snow and low winter sun. This is a shrub you plant for the view from a January window, with spring flowers and summer green as the supporting act.
A wetland native hardy from zone 3 to 8, it thrives in the soggy spot that drowns other shrubs, holds banks against erosion, and sets white berries that birds strip in late summer. Fast to fill in at 6 to 9 feet, it earns the rain garden's anchor spot — give it the wet corner and the winter show is yours.
Full Sun
Moderate water
Fast growth
Native to North America
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing redtwig dogwood? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries redtwig dogwood — Cornus sericea, print Nº 397, “Redtwig Dogwood.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what redtwig dogwood actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-8Redtwig Dogwood · Common problems
Common redtwig dogwood problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Diseases
4 problems on file
- Leaf Spot
- Canker (cut out)
- Septoria Leaf Spot
- Botryosphaeria Canker
Redtwig Dogwood · Growing & propagation
Growing redtwig dogwood
- Light
- Full Sun (best stem color) to Part Shade
- Water
- Moderate-High
A wetland native; great for rain gardens
Soil- Any, tolerates wet · pH 5.5 - 7.5
Fertilizer- None
Pruning- Late Winter
CUT A THIRD of oldest stems to the ground — Winter color trick: only NEW stems are brilliant red; remove the oldest third yearly so young red canes dominate.
Spacing- 4-6 ft
It spreads by suckers
How to plant & propagate redtwig dogwood
- Propagate
- Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering
Redtwig Dogwood · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Redtwig Dogwood · Yearly calendar
The redtwig dogwood year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPrune
HarvestBloomMay to June
PruneFebruary to March
HarvestAugust
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
- Harvest — picking time — check ripeness every few days.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Redtwig Dogwood · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Cornus sericea
Redtwig Dogwood in the garden system
- Shrub layer shrub
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Bees, Birds
Habitat- Wetland
- Moisture
- Wetland / wet-tolerant
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
- Origin
- Native to North America
What redtwig dogwood is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesMildly toxic raw berries (birds fine)
- Use
- Winter stem color
- Use
- Rain gardens
- Use
- Native thickets
Harvesting & storing redtwig dogwood
White berries feed birds late summer.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Redtwig Dogwood · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a redtwig dogwood variety
'Baileyi' (red); 'Cardinal' (fire-red); 'Flaviramea' (yellow-twig); 'Arctic Fire' (compact)
Sources & plant identity
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Redtwig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Cornus sericea
- Plant family
- Cornaceae
- Growth habit
- Shrub · Perennial
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- COSE16
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for Redtwig Dogwood
Research from these sources
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Questions
Redtwig Dogwood questions, answered straight.
Is redtwig dogwood safe for kids and pets?
With care. Mildly toxic raw berries (birds fine) Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
When do you harvest redtwig dogwood?
White berries feed birds late summer.
How do you propagate redtwig dogwood?
Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering.
Elsewhere
Where redtwig dogwood sits in the library.
Rose
Hydrangea
Common Lilac
Forsythia