In natural areas where size is not an issue, they can be left to their own devices. Red-twig dogwoods are pretty low-maintenance shrubs. They tolerate sun to part-shade and wet to dry soils, support many species of local insects and wildlife. They can grow up to 9 feet tall and wide if left natural, but typically a rejuvenation pruning schedule is followed to retain the bright red young stems (more on this below). In the spring, they leaf out with fresh green foliage in early summer, they bloom with clusters of tiny white flowers that mature into red berries in fall, the leaves develop a deep, purplish-red color and in winter, the leaves drop to reveal the brilliant red stems. They are shrubs that truly have 4 seasons of interest. Red-twig dogwoods, also known as red-osier dogwoods, are native to most of Canada and the western and northern regions of the United States. A winter landscape at JC Raulston Arboretum: Red-twig dogwoods in the foreground with maidengrasses and pine trees in the background. But did you know there are lots of different kinds of dogwoods, including both trees and shrubs? This morning, our crews were trained in identification and maintenance of red-twig dogwoods ( Cornus sericea), which are beautiful shrubs with brilliant red stems that look absolutely stunning in the winter–especially in the snow! The stems can also be cut and used in holiday floral arrangements. Usually, when people think of “dogwoods”, they think of the eastern flowering dogwood ( Cornus florida), a small, native, understory tree with showy white or pink blooms in the spring.
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