Red Osier Dogwood
In sacred pipe ceremonies Native Americans use the inner bark of red osier dogwood in a tobacco mixture.
Along with bright red winterberries , have you noticed the red stems of red osier dogwood? It’s another native shrub that catches our eye in the winter landscape.
Known as red twig or red osier dogwood, Cornus sericea is a multi-stemmed, colonizing shrub most commonly found in wetland areas, such as Clay Pit Brook at Hawk Valley Farm.
Flowers: Unlike the easily identifiable dogwood tree with it’s showy, petal-like bracts in spring, this shrub’s flowers are more inconspicuous. They have flat-topped clusters of small white blossoms, followed by green berries changing to white in late summer.
Red osier dogwood in a landscaped yard
Red osier dogwood stems are vibrant red and stand out in the winter landscape. The medium to dark green leaves, however, look similar to the tree species; opposite, simple, ovate with distinctive veining. They also turn shades of red and purple in the fall.
Habitat: Cornus sericea is adaptable and tolerant of wet and dry soil and you’ll usually find it in areas of full sun.
Red osier dogwood provides erosion control as well as dense cover for wildlife.
Wildlife/pollinators: It’s a larval host plant to the spring azure butterfly and according to www.arborday.org, the berries are eaten by 18+ species of birds including northern flicker, cedar waxwing, wild turkey, and gray catbird. In the Lowell area, the twigs and foliage are browsed by deer, rabbits, red squirrels, chipmunks, and raccoons.
Let us know where you’ve noticed this ecologically beneficial shrub in the wild or the designed landscape!
(originally featured as February 2020 Flora & Fauna Friday)
