Dogwood (Red osier) Growing Guide

Cornus species, Cornus stolonifera, Cornus sericea, Cornus siberica, Cornus alba

Dogwood (Red osier)

Crop Rotation Group

Miscellaneous ●

Soil

Moist, well-drained soil enriched with plenty of compost or other organic matter.

Position

Full sun to part shade.

Frost tolerant

Hardy to -20°F (-29°C). Has low tolerance for summer heat.

Feeding

None generally needed.

Spacing

Single Plants: 6' 6" (2.00m) each way (minimum)
Rows: 6' 6" (2.00m) with 6' 6" (2.00m) row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Set out purchased plants from autumn through to spring, as long as your soil is not frozen. Container-grown plants can be transplanted until early summer, but may shed some leaves if set out under stressful conditions. Water young plants regularly, and cover the root zone with an organic mulch to keep the soil moist at all times. Dogwoods become more drought tolerant after the plants are well rooted.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Birds love the berries in winter.

Harvesting

Delay pruning until late winter or early spring to preserve stems which turn bright red or yellow, depending on species, providing beautiful contrast against white snow. Cut back hard to stimulate the production of next year’s brightly colored stems.

Troubleshooting

Powdery mildew can be unsightly, but is often weather related and seldom strikes two years in a row. Dogwood anthracnose causes irregular black spots to form on leaves, and can seriously weaken plants. Resistant varieties are available.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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Pests which Affect Dogwood (Red osier)