Cornus sericea 'Cardinal'

'Cardinal' Red-Osier Dogwood

'Cardinal' is a fast-growing, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with cherry red winter stems. The stems are especially showy against a snowy backdrop. Tiny white flowers appear in flat-topped clusters in late spring. Flowers give way to clusters of creamy white fruit in late summer. Fruit is very attractive to birds and is generally considered to have as much if not more ornamental interest than the flowers. Dark green leaves turn an attractive red-purple in autumn.

Benefits:

Bright red stems in winter; extremely winter hardy

Host plant for spring azure butterfly

Nutritious berries for a wide range of birds

Provides good nesting sites for birds and protective cover for wildlife

Tolerates a wide variety of conditions, including wet soils

Homeowner Growing and Maintenance Tips

Best grown in organically rich, medium wet to wet soils in full sun to part shade but tolerates a wide range of soils, including swampy or boggy conditions.

Trim roots with a spade and promptly remove root suckers if you don't want plants to spread and form a thicket.

The best red stem color occurs on new shoots. Although pruning is not required, you can remove 20-25% of the oldest stems in early spring each year to stimulate new growth or you can prune it heavily every year or two. Beware though, this plant flowers on old wood so when you remove old stems you are also removing the coming season's flowers and fruits.

Height 6-8 Feet

Spread 9-10 Feet

Native Range Swamps, stream banks and thickets; Newfoundland to Alaska in the western mountains to northern Mexico and in the East to Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Native Trivia Thicket forming plants like this are perfect as property line dividers, in hedgerows and to stabilize the bank of a pond or stream. They also make good foundation plantings. Prune S of the oldest branches to the ground every year for more colorful new growth.

USDA Hardiness Zone 3-8

"These bright red stems and nutritious berries provide good nesting sites and food for birds like me."

Characteristics & Attributes

Plan Sub Group • Medium to Tall Grasses	Exposure • Filtered Shade • Sun	Soil • Wide soil tolerance	Soil Moisture Preference • Moist • Average
Attracts Wildlife • Butterflies • Songbirds	Bloom Time • Summer	Habitat Collection • Butterfly • Wet Sun • Songbird	Native Habitat • Riparian, wetland
Uses • Bog, water garden • Erosion control • Hedge, screen