Redosier Dogwood
(Cornus sericea, syn. C. stolonifera)
Vibrant, Year-Round Color & Native Resilience for the Black Hills
Why You’ll Love This Plant:
The Redosier Dogwood is a multi-season superstar and a true South Dakota native. While its green leaves and white flowers are attractive, its real show comes in the winter: the stems turn a brilliant, blazing red, providing a spectacular contrast against the white snow. This incredibly tough, spreading shrub is perfect for naturalized areas, wet spots, or hedges, offering beauty and essential habitat for local wildlife in the Black Hills.
Key Features for the Black Hills:
- Stunning Winter Color: The bare, bright red stems provide unparalleled visual interest during the bleakest months of the year.
- Native & Hardy: A resilient native species perfectly adapted to our climate (USDA Zones 2-7), handling extreme cold and variable conditions with ease.
- Adaptable to Moisture: Unlike many plants, the Redosier Dogwood thrives in moist to wet soils, making it ideal for low-lying areas, stream banks, or rain gardens. It also tolerates average garden soil.
- Wildlife Magnet: Produces clusters of white berries that are a vital food source for numerous bird species. The dense growth provides excellent nesting sites and cover.
- Spring/Summer Interest: Features clusters of white flowers in spring and attractive green foliage that turns reddish-purple in the fall.
- Low Maintenance: Generally pest and disease free and requires minimal care once established.
Grower’s Tips:
- Sun Needs: Plant in full sun for the most intense, vibrant red stem color in winter. It tolerates part shade.
- Watering: Prefers consistent moisture, especially during establishment.
- Pruning for Color: To ensure the brightest red stems, prune the oldest, dullest-colored stems down to the ground in late winter/early spring. New growth is brightest.
Why Choose Redosier Dogwood?
If you need a tough, native, and versatile shrub that provides vibrant color when you need it most—in the winter—the Redosier Dogwood is the perfect choice for any Black Hills garden.
Bring vibrant winter color and native resilience to your landscape—buy a Redosier Dogwood today!
Sidenote0 if you are wondering if it’s Redosier or Red Osier- Both Redosier Dogwood and red osier dogwood are acceptable common names for the plant Cornus sericea.
However, for consistency and official usage in botanical contexts or professional settings like a nursery:
- Redosier Dogwood (Capitalized and one word) is the official standardized common name recognized by organizations like the USDA and the American Society for Horticultural Science.
- Red osier dogwood (Lowercase and two words) is also widely used in gardening literature and general conversation.
In short, “Redosier Dogwood” is generally preferred as the official common name.