Image of Cornus sericea
Source: OWSL
image of Shrub
Cornus sericea
Red-osier Dogwood
Cornouiller hart-rouge

Obsolete Names

red-osier cornel
cornouiller stolonifère
hart rouge
No seeds available for this plant.
We currently accept seeds for this plant
Bloom colour: White Bloom period: May - Jun
Max Height: 12.0 feet
Max Width: 10.0 feet (spreads by rhizome)
Light condition:
Full sun More than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Part shade More than 2 or 3 hours but less than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Soil conditions:
Moisture medium Tolerates medium soil condition
Lifespan: Perennial plants that will that come back year after year
Gardener Experience:
plant germinate easy Easy to germinate
plant self seeding Self-seeding
Landscape uses:
wetland garden Suitable for wetland garden
rain garden Suitable for rain gardens
school garden Suitable for school gardens
hedge Can be used as a hedge
foot traffic tolerant Tolerates foot traffic
Ecological Benefits:
Pollinator garden Supports pollinators
butterfly host Butterfly host
bee host Bee host
keystones species Keystone species
Tolerates:
Deer Resistant Deer resistant
rabbit resistant Rabbit resistant
foot traffic Tolerant Tolerates foot traffic
limestone Tolerant Tolerates limestone conditions
acidic soil Tolerant Tolerates acidic soil conditions
juglone Tolerant Tolerates juglone conditions
transplantation Tolerant Tolerates transplantation
Special Features and Considerations:

Plant Location

Native to Ottawa region: Yes

Distribution according to VASCAN

Distribution: Cornus sericea
Ephemeral Native Introduced Excluded Extirpated Doubtful Absent
View taxonomy on Canadensys

View on iNaturalist

Thrives in Ecozones

  • Taiga Plains
  • Atlantic Maritime
  • Montane Cordillera
  • Hudson Plains
  • Boreal Shield
  • Mixed Wood Plains

Ecological Benefits

Butterflies Supported by Cornus sericea

  • Celastrina ladon (Spring Azure)
  • Hyalophora cecropia (Cecropia moth)
  • Malacosoma americanum (Eastern Tent Caterpillar)

Specialized Bees Supported by Cornus sericea

  • Andrena fragilis
  • Andrena integra
  • Andrena persimulata
Plants that grow in similar conditions, that bloom at the same time.

Complementary Plants

  • No complementary plants found.

Substitute For Non-Native Plants

  • Rhamnus cathartica (Common Buckthorn)
  • Rhamnus frangula (Glossy Buckthorn)
  • Euonymus alatus (Burning Bush)
  • Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian Olive)
  • Elaeagnus a umbellata (Autumn Olive)

Sowing Information

Download Sowing Label (PDF)
  • Sowing depth: Sow just below surface
  • Sow by January
  • Stratification duration: 90 days
  • Self-seeding
  • Notes: Best planted outdoors in fall.

Harvesting and Seed Sharing

  • Harvest start month: August
  • Harvesting indicator: Berries are ripen and easily fall off or have fallen off
  • Harvesting mean: Squeeze berries to extract seeds, wash with soapy water, rinse throroughly
  • Seed viability test: No test needed before donating
  • Packaging measure: Six (6) seeds (eyeball)
  • Seed storage: Air dry in paper bag or open container, for a few days until crisp, shaking seeds to move them once in a while to prevent molding
  • At least one cultivar: Yes, do not donate unless you know source, and there are no known cultivars in your garden or at proximity
  • Remove non seed material
  • No harvesting video available at this time.

Toxicity Notes

Inadequate information on toxicity found.