Redtwig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Brilliant crimson stems light up the winter garden against snow or gray sky. White spring flowers, then summer berries for 40-plus bird species.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
The most dramatic winter garden shrub we carry. those scarlet stems glow against snow and ice and get better with every hard cutback.
Redtwig dogwood turns the winter garden into something genuinely alive. When the leaves drop in November, a thicket of brilliant crimson stems lights up against snow or gray sky in a way that feels almost unnatural for a plant that needs zero care to achieve it. The newest growth carries the reddest color, which is exactly why a hard cutback every spring keeps the display at its best. Spring brings flat-topped clusters of small white flowers worked by native bees and butterflies. White summer berries follow, eaten eagerly by at least 40 bird species. The foliage turns red-purple in fall before dropping to reveal those brilliant stems again. Few shrubs deliver this level of four-season interest with this level of toughness.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown redtwig dogwood propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 5–8 ft · 6–10 ft wide
- Bloom time
- Spring
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 2–8
- Family
- Cornaceae
- Native range
- Northern and Eastern North America
Care notes for redtwig dogwood.
Full sun to part shade in moist to wet soil. Tolerates flooding and clay. Cut down to 12 inches every 2–3 years in early spring to promote the most vivid red stem color on new growth. old stems turn grayish. Spreads by root suckers; excellent for massing and erosion control. Deer will browse but plants recover quickly.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside redtwig dogwood.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.