Red-barked dogwood is a spreading deciduous shrub grown chiefly for young red stems that remain visible after the autumn leaves fall.
- Height
- 243–305 cm / 8–10 ft
- Spread
- 152–305 cm / 5–10 ft
- Light
- Full sun / Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Dry / Moist, well-drained
- Flowering
- Spring
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Maintenance
- Low
- USDA zones
- 3a–7b
Planting
Plant in sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. Give it room to form a thicket, or choose a border where you can manage its outward spread.
Care
Remove the oldest stems in spring to encourage colourful new growth. Check for root suckers and remove unwanted shoots before the shrub occupies neighbouring planting space.
Before planting: Suckering can make removal difficult; hot summer climates also increase disease problems.
Planting Red-barked dogwood?
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Sources & photo credit
Plant reference: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Content checked . Flowering seasons vary with local climate; USDA zones describe winter cold tolerance.
- Red-barked dogwood: Tsyganov Sergey · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Red-twig dogwood: Tom Brandt · CC BY 2.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Adam's needle yucca: Carl Lewis · CC BY 2.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Bearberry: Walter Siegmund · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.