Deciduous Shrub Of The Day

Cornus stolonifera 'Cardinal' syn. Cornus sericea

Red Osier Dogwood, American Dogwood

Type Shrub, woody plant

Hardy range 3A to 7B

Height 8' to 10' / 2.40m to 3.00m

Spread 8' to 10' / 2.40m to 3.00m

Growth rate Average

Form Rounded and upright or erect

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color White

Bloom Time Spring

The flowers are showy.

Environment

This plant tolerates some drought and flooding.

This plant will grow in dry to wet or submerged soil.

Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.

The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color Green

Fall Color Red

This plant has attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes

Red Osier Dogwood can be grown in full sun or partial shade on moist to wet, acid, well-drained, and cool soil. Keep a mulch around the root system to encourage vigorous root growth. This is certainly one of the better cultivars for red stem color. Bright red stems are showy all winter.

Red twig color fades in the southern portion of its range. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people. Plants serve as hosts for butterfly larvae.

Planting and establishing shrubs

The most common cause of young plant failure is planting too deep. Plant the root ball no deeper than it was in the nursery. In most instances, the root flare zone (point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk) should be located just above the landscape soil surface. Sometimes plants come from the nursery with soil over the root flare. If there is soil over this area, scrape it off. The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider. In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, there is no need to incorporate anything into the backfill soil except the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole. Never place ANY soil over the root ball. If a row or grouping of plants is to be installed, excavating or loosening the soil in the entire bed and incorporating organic matter enhances root growth and establishment rate.

Weed suppression during establishment is essential. Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch around the plant to help control weed growth. Keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk. If you apply it over the root ball, apply only a one or two inch layer. This allows rainwater and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry. Placing mulch against the trunk or applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water. Regular irrigation through the first growing season after planting encourages rapid root growth, which is essential for quick plant establishment.

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