Virginia Tech Dendrology

red-osier dogwood Cornaceae Cornus sericea L. symbol: COSE16
Leaf: Opposite, simple, arcuately veined, 2 to 4 inches long, somewhat narrow, entire margin, green above, pale below.
Flower: Species is monoecious; small, dull white in flat top clusters about 2 inches across appearing in late spring to early summer.
Fruit: Dull white, 1/4 to 1/3 inch in diameter in rounded clusters. Maturing in late summer to fall.
Twig: Bright red, sometimes green splotched with red, white pith, buds narrow and tapering, flower buds more swollen.
Bark: Red to green with numerous lenticels; later developing larger cracks and splits and turning light brown.
Form: Small to medium sized shrub with numerous stems forming thickets up to 15 feet tall but generally shorter.
Looks like: Tatarian dogwood - gray dogwood - roughleaf dogwood - silky dogwood

Additional Range Information: Cornus sericea is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Fall Color
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information