Cornus stolonifera
(1-99) $3.59
(100-999) $2.87
(1000+) $2.69
Commonly grows in areas of rich, poorly drained soils, such as riparian zones and wetlands, or in upland areas which receive more than 20 inches of precipitation annually.
Red Osier Dogwood is tolerant of flooding and has been known to survive up to seven years of water above root crown level.
It is a medium to tall deciduous shrub, growing 1.5–4m tall and 3–5 m wide, spreading readily by underground stolon’s to form dense thickets. The branches and twigs are dark red, although wild plants may lack this coloration in shaded areas. The leaves are opposite, 5–12 cm long and 2.5–6 cm broad, with an ovate to oblong shape and an entire margin; they are dark green above and glaucous below; fall color is commonly bright red to purple.
Like all dogwoods, they have characteristic stringy white piths within the leaf stalks, which can be used for identification. The flowers are small (5–10 mm diameter), flat, umbrella-like and dull white, in clusters 3–6 cm diameter. The fruit is a globose white berry 5–9 mm diameter. The Latin specific epithet sericea means “silky”, referring to the texture of the leaves.