Shrub
Red-barked dogwood
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in May | Flowers in June | ||||||||||
| Plant | Plant in January | Plant in February | Plant in March | Plant in November | Plant in December | |||||||
| Prune | Prune in March | Prune in April | ||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in January | Looks good in February | Looks good in March | Looks good in November | Looks good in December |
Overview
Cornus alba is the shrub that rescues a dull winter border. Once the leaves fall, its upright young stems turn a vivid sealing-wax red, and a clump planted where low sun catches it looks almost lit from within. Summer brings flat heads of small creamy flowers and then white berries, often with a blue tint. 'Sibirica' has the brightest coral-red bark, 'Elegantissima' adds white-edged leaves for summer interest, and 'Kesselringii' has stems so dark they look nearly black. For a contrast, pair any of them with the yellow-stemmed Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea'.
Where to grow red-barked dogwood
Almost any soil suits it, including heavy clay and ground that stays wet in winter, so it is a natural choice for pond edges, ditches and damp corners. Colour is best in full sun. Plant in groups of three or more and site them where you will see them from a window in January.
Planting
Bare-root plants are cheap and establish well between November and March. Dig a wide hole, loosen the subsoil, and set the plant at the same depth it was growing. Water in, mulch with compost and space plants roughly a metre apart for a dense winter display.
Care through the year
Spring
Coppice established plants in March or early April, then feed with a general fertiliser and mulch thickly to fuel strong regrowth.
Summer
Water young plants in long dry spells; established clumps on moist ground look after themselves.
Autumn
Enjoy the purple and red leaf colour before the stems are revealed; berries are often taken by birds.
Winter
This is its season. Cut a few stems for indoor arrangements and Christmas wreaths.
Pruning
Only one- and two-year-old wood colours well, so prune hard. Leave a newly planted shrub for a year, then each spring cut every stem to within 5–10 cm of the base. If you prefer a taller shape, remove one stem in three each year instead, always taking the oldest and dullest.
Propagation
Hardwood cuttings are almost foolproof. In late autumn or winter, take pencil-thick lengths about 20 cm long from the prunings and push two-thirds of each into the ground. Low stems that touch the soil often root on their own and can be dug up and moved.
Common problems
Generally trouble-free. Leaf spots can appear in damp summers and aphids sometimes cluster on soft tips; neither does lasting harm. The commonest disappointment is dull, woody stems on an unpruned plant, which a hard spring cut soon fixes.
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in January, February, March, April, November and December. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.