Cornus sericea 'Cardinal'
Red Twig Redosier Dogwood

Family:

Cornaceae (Dogwood Family) 40

Genus:

Cornus (Dogwood) 40

Plant Type:

Shrub 468

Growth Forms:

Bushy 187

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 2 52

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Deciduous 839

Flower Notes:

White (Off-white clusters of flowers; Late spring)

Foliage Notes:

Green (Dark green summer foliage); Red-Violet (Variable red to purple fall color)

Stem Notes:

Red stems

Fruit Notes:

White (Round, milky-white berries in August)

Ultimate Height:

6-9 feet

Ultimate Spread:

8-12 feet

Bloom Times:

Light Requirements:

Soil Notes:

Prefers well-drained, moist, loamy soils, but tolerates clay and wet soils

Maintenance:

Medium 82

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Leaves (2-5" long and 1-1.5" wide) opposite, simple, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, usually rounded at base, dark green above and somewhat glaucous beneath. Dogwood veins sweep toward, but never contact, the leaf margin. Stems are red all year long. Difficult to separate Cornus alba and Cornus sericea in winter.

Ecological Functions:

Special Characteristics:

Pest and/or Disease Resistant 96

Wet Soil Tolerant 109

Additional Information

The Cardinal Red Twig Dogwood has attractive, strongly red stems, providing winter interest to the landscape. It is a larger variant that has better resistance to leaf spot than other cultivars. Grows well in a variety of situations, including wet soil. Easy to transplant. Relatively trouble-free. A three-year pruning cycle improves form, vigor, and winter stem color effect. Cutting all stems 6-12" from ground in late winter has similar effect. Best in mass plantings. Excellent for winter color. Stem color tends to fade in warmer zones.