Red Twig Osier DogwoodCornus sericea RedHeight: 7' average mature height Zones: 4-8 Find my zone Aspect: mostly shade to full sun Watering: needs occasional summer irrigation, about one deep watering cycle per month once established Maximum Water: tolerates constantly wet soil and bogs Habit: clump forming with multiple stems Flowers In: April, May, September Foliage: deciduous Growth Rate: fast Native To: AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, IA, ID, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
This plant can't be shipped to Florida
Size Availability
Out of season.
unrooted cutting - $1.25 each 8 to 12 inches tall - $5.99 each quart - $8.50 each deep plug - 8 to 12 inches tall - $8.50 each
Our main crop of most plants is available starting in late fall.
Additional batches of plugs and quarts are added throughout the year.
Many of our plants are propagated in limited quantities and can sell out quickly when posted, get on the notification list below so you don't miss out. Add your email to be notified as soon as we have them back in stock:
This does NOT subscribe your email to any mailing lists, our system will only send an inventory notification message.
Production notes: reliable production
Red Twig/Red Osier Dogwood is a western native species growing in many mountainous woodland areas. The red stem form develops a bright red bark on the young canes, especially during the first winter. The red stems bring some much needed bright coloration to landscapes during the winter and is usually the most striking if plants are pruned back in early spring before the buds break, as the younger stems have the brightest color. Red Twig Dogwoods are tolerant of growing in wet areas and are frequently used to control erosion around streambanks.
Mix these with the Yellow Twig form for the brightest contrast during the winter, and plant in a bright area where the bare stems can really shine.
The spring flowers appear in bunches and when the leaves drop off in the fall they reveal white berries left on the stems for the birds to eat.
Superior Selection Information
Our plants are grown from cuttings off of plants selected for deep red color earlier in the summer and improved heat and drought tolerance. Red Twig Dogwoods are typically found growing near streambeds or other wet areas and so seedlings are typically not well adapted to upland dry sites. We collected seed from plants growing on hotter, drier sites in the Klamath Mountains and planted about a thousand seedlings in a hot, dry location in our nursery. After two years there were three standouts for excellent growth and color, and these three plants now serve as our mother stock for our clonal propagation. We have found that they thrive on about a third as much water as standard seedlings and had no issues following multiple days of 121 degrees with low humidity in 2021, nor after four days of 114 degrees with higher humidity in 2022.
Red Twig Dogwood stems planted with the complimentary Yellow Twig Dogwood 
By mid-Fall the new branches begin to turn bright red, sometimes before the leaves have started to drop off.
Image Credit:
Wikipedia:Cornus-sericea
The best color is displayed after the leaves drop off in the winter.
Image Credit:
Wikipedia:Cornus-sericea
Dense hedges shine bright red even from a distance in the winter.
Image Credit:
Wikipedia:Cornus-sericea
Red stems on the Red Twig Dogwood 
Potted 1 gallon Red Twig Dogwoods ready for shipment 
Plants in sunnier sites produce deep red fall color, while plants in shade tend to produce orange and yellow fall colors
The early spring growth is green and the red coloration begins to develop in the summer.
Cornus sericea Red - Red Twig Osier Dogwood - cuttings from improved stock
Cornus sericea Red - Red Twig Osier Dogwood showing spring flowers
Cornus sericea Red - Red Twig Osier Dogwood 2 gallon size in late fall
Cornus sericea Red - Red Twig Osier Dogwood 2 gallon size in winter
Cornus sericea Red - Red Twig Osier Dogwood fall color compared to the yellow color of a fig tree
Cornus sericea Red - Yellow and red twig dogwood stem color comparison in winter
Cornus sericea Red - Red Twig Osier Dogwood growing as a hedge
Cornus sericea Red - Red Twig Osier Dogwood growing as a hedge
Packing Plants For ShippingWe pack our plants depending on the needs of each species and size, most plants ship best with the roots packed in moist sawdust or bark fines but some species don't like root disturbance and are shipped in a soil-less growing media. Excess soil is washed from the roots in preparation for shipping (18-24" White Pines)  Plants are bundled together to fit in boxes  Bundles of plants are secured in long boxes. Plant Sizes 3 gallon Dawn Redwood  Standard quart shrub  Standard 14-18" multi-stem tree size  Standard deep plug pine tree Bamboo Plants Are Shipped In Their ContainersBamboo roots are not flexible and so plants have to be shipped in their containers. These plants are heavier and are shipped separately from bare root plants. Because they are potted they can handle longer transit times so can ship via UPS Ground instead of USPS Air Mail. Potted plants can also be shipped year-round.We regularly top our 1 gallon bamboo plants at 24-30 inches tall throughout the growing season. This results in dense, bushy foliage while allowing for economical shipping. From this size most running species will grow to 5-6 feet tall in the first spring and clumping species will usually grow to 4-5 feet tall.  1 gallon bamboo plants strapped in and ready to be sealed. Unpacking Bare Root PlantsYou will be sent tracking details as soon as your plants are shipped. Unpack your plants as quickly as possible after they are delivered. We use two types of boxes, side-sealing and top-sealing. For boxes that are taped along the whole length you can cut the tape on either side and remove the plant bundles by cutting the tape holding the bundle to the bottom. For boxes that are sealed on the top and bottom, it is easiet to open the bottom of the box (the shipping label is at the top) and pull the bundle of plants out straight out. Check that the box is empty as there can be a second bundle of plants stuck towards the top. A bundle of trees. What if I am not able to plant right away?You can usually leave the plants in their shipping container unopened for 1-2 days if there were no shipping delays and you have received your plants from late November through February. Plants shipped when it is warmer can't stay in their packages for as long.For longer term storage of plants you can pot them up or plant them in rows close together temporarily and then pull them out later in the spring to be planted again. This keeps the roots moist while allowing for air flow to the tops. The roots should have good contact with the soil to ensure they have access to adequate moisture. |
Size Availability
Out of season.
unrooted cutting - $1.25 each 8 to 12 inches tall - $5.99 each quart - $8.50 each deep plug - 8 to 12 inches tall - $8.50 each
Our main crop of most plants is available starting in late fall.
Additional batches of plugs and quarts are added throughout the year.
Many of our plants are propagated in limited quantities and can sell out quickly when posted, get on the notification list below so you don't miss out. Add your email to be notified as soon as we have them back in stock:
This does NOT subscribe your email to any mailing lists, our system will only send an inventory notification message.
Production notes: reliable production
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Red Panda Nursery
