January 2009 Plant of the Month -
Red Twig Dogwood

Submitted by Jason Reeves

Winter landscapes are often bleak, but that is easily remedied. Of the many plants that can brighten up cold gray days, among my favorites is a much underused group of plants referred to as red twig dogwoods. 

My first encounter with a red twig dogwood was when I was just learning about ornamental plants.  A dear friend of mine took me to see her friend’s garden. This sweet old lady pointed out a large, multi-stemmed shrub growing out in the middle of her lawn. It was mid-summer, so it did not look like much to me. She told me it was a red twig dogwood, and I thought to myself:” What a strange looking dogwood.” She dug two suckers from the plant. I took them home and planted them along the fence row that separated the yard from the pasture.

It was not until winter that l realized why she admired this plant, as its stems indeed turned a lovely red. A few years later I was thrilled to find a cultivar with yellow twigs called 'Flaviramea'. I planted it on the fence row near the red ones.  It struggled, and eventually died. I was so disappointed but quickly found another one and planted it. It looked unhappy right away so I began to read up on it and found out that 'Flaviramea' is especially susceptible to canker.

Since then have I have collected seven cultivars in a variety of colors. Six of these can be seen growing at the UT Gardens in Jackson and Knoxville. 

There are several different species of dogwoods that have colorful branches during the winter months. They include Cornus alba, (Tatarian Dogwood), C. sanguinea, (Bloodtwig Dogwood), and C. sericea, formally C. stolonifera, (Redosier Dogwood) which is native. Cornus sericea was woven into baskets by Native Americans and used to make dyes.

Red twig dogwoods are fast-growing shrubs that form a loose, rounded multi-stemmed suckering plant. They average 6-10 feet tall with a similar spread.  They form a dense root system, which is good for stabilizing stream banks and hillsides. They are also good for providing food and shelter for songbirds and other animals. Depending on the species, the simple leaves can be 1½ - 4 ½” in length and half again as wide. Leaves are medium to dark green in color and are produced opposite to each other on the branches. They look similar to Cornus florida, the common flowering dogwood. Leaves of C. sericea’s are often silver on the underside and turn a reddish purple in the fall. Several cultivars of red twig dogwood have variegated foliage. In West Tennessee I have found that variegated forms prefer afternoon shade and lack vigor compared to other forms. 

The flowers of the red twig dogwoods are quite different from the common flowering dogwood. Numerous small white flowers are produced in 1 ½ - 2 ½” flat cymes on the end of the stems in summer and give way to clusters of pea size fruit in August and September that last for a short time. The flowers and fruit are attractive, but not that noticeable in the landscape due to so many other showy plants flowering at the same time.  

The dramatic winter stems of red twig dogwood are what make these plants so desirable. Depending on the cultivar, stems can be dark blood red, coral red, quite pink, or even orangish to yellow. They are especially showy when grown with a background of green conifers or with snow on the ground. The stems are most colorful when young. Once the stems are a couple of years old, the bark matures to gray. To ensure fresh colorful stems each year, cut back the older ones close to the ground late winter or early spring.  Strong new stems will quickly spring forth. I like to cut some of them in early December and use them in Christmas decorations both indoors and out. In early March, I remove the rest of the two year old stems. Outside, the cut stems will retain their color all winter long. At the UT Gardens in Jackson, I place cut stems in the pots and beds near the entrance for added winter interest. Along with twisted willow braches, they add a lot of color to the existing pots of conifers.

Red twig dogwoods perform well in moist, well drained, average soil in full sun to light shade and are drought tolerant once established. C. sericea will even grow in overly wet soil.   

They are affected by few insects and diseases. In zones 7B and higher, they lack vigor due to heat and humidity and sometimes suffer from canker (twig blight) and leaf spot. Of the group, C. alba is most susceptible to insects and diseases, while C. sanguinea is seemingly resistant. Canker can especially be a problem in wet humid years. ‘Flaviramea’ is especially prone to canker and for that reason is not recommended for Tennessee. Unfortunately, ‘Flaviramea’ is readily available in the wholesale market, and therefore often seen for sale at nurseries.

I would never be without red twig dogwoods in the winter garden. These plants add so much color and enjoyment to an otherwise dreary winter landscape.You can get years of enjoyment from this easy to grow shrub. If you are having trouble finding them, encourage your local nurseryman to carry them, unless of course you have a sweet old lady friend who will dig up suckers for you!

Jason Reeves is an Ornamental Horticulture Research Associate with the UT AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee. He creates the various seasonal horticultural displays, conducts research on herbaceous and woody ornamentals, and supports various educational programs. The UT Gardens in Knoxville and Jackson are both open to the public. See http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/  and http://westtennessee.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/ for more information.

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Contact:
Jason Reeves, West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center,
(731) 424-1643

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Additional Info:

Listed below are some of the most common red twig dogwood cultivars. For a more complete list refer to Michael Dirr’s Manual of Woody Landscape Plants.
▲Denotes cultivars found in the UT Gardens in Jackson
●Denotes cultivars found in the UT Gardens in Knoxville
 
Cornus alba:
'Argenteo-marginata' - Variegated form with creamy white margins and red stems
▲●'Bud's Yellow' - bright yellow stems, improved disease resistance, sometimes listed under C. sericea
'Cream Cracker' - cream colored variegated leaves, purplish red stems  
'Bailhalo' (Ivory Halo™) - compact, variegated selection with dark red stems
● ‘Sibirica’ - bright coral red stems, according to Michael Dirr it is often confused in the trade many plants labeled ‘Sibirica’ are not ‘Sibirica’

Cornus.sanguinea:
'Cato' (Arctic Sun™ )- compact with yellow stems tipped in blood red
▲ ‘Variegata’ - yellowish white variegated leaves
▲'Winter Flame' - stems fiery orange-yellow at the base becoming pink and finishing with red at the tips, its leaves turn golden in the fall,  ‘Midwinter Fire’ is thought to be the same plant

Cornus sericea:
▲ ‘Baileyi’ - an older but strong growing cultivar with dark red stems
▲●'Cardinal' - stems turn from coral to deep cherry red
●'Farrow' (Arctic Fire™) - compact selection of ‘Baileyi’
●'Flaviramea’ - yellow stems often inflicted with canker
'Hedgerows Gold' - bright yellow variegated leaves and red stems
▲ ‘Isanti’ - compact form with bright red stems
● “Keseyi’ - compact reaching about two feet tall, prone to leaf spot, stem not that colorful
'Silver and Gold' - good variegation on the leaves and yellow twigs