Dogwood, Redosier - Cornus sericea

A thicket forming shrub, seldom with a single trunk to 5 meters (16 feet) tall; bark is thin, smooth with prominent lenticels, red to occasionally greenish; branches rise, spread or bend downward to ground, smooth, slender and reddish to purplish red color; leaves are opposite, simple, deciduous, broadest near rounded base, tapering to a pointed tip, smooth along edge, dark green and smooth above, and covered with soft white hairs when young below becoming smooth when older, with unique 5 to 7 prominent upcurving and parallel veins that converge at tip of leaf; flowers in many four-lobed hairy calyx flat-topped clusters; fruit produced in round-topped clusters, round, dull white, thin flesh enclosing a egg-shaped, furrowed seed. Habitat is usually along streams, rivers, and other moist sites from low to relatively high elevations on soils that are commonly young with little to no development overlying gravel and cobbles. These sites are typically well to excessively drained with low waterholding capabilities that allow rapid movement of highly aerated groundwater. It is most often grown by unrooted or rooted cuttings, but can also be grown from seed. Seed is collected in August and September; use a macerator to depulp, float off residue; store air dried seeds in sealed containers at 3 to 5°C (37 to 41°F) for two to four years; propagation requires cold stratification for 60 to 90 days at 5°C (41°F); seed coat scarification may improve germination; fall sowing is recommended; another recommendation is to prechill the seed for 28 days at 20 to 30° C, warm stratify for few days and rechill for 120 to 160 days prior to planting.

Greenhouse asexual propagation by stem cuttings is easy and can be done either as actively growing soft or greenwood cuttings treated with 1,000 parts per million IBA, under mist, or as dormant, hardwood cuttings treated with 3,000 to 5,000 parts per million IBA, and placed under mist. Use a 1:1, perlite:vermiculite or high percent sand media. Actively growing cuttings should be at least 5 to 8 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) in length and hardwood cuttings 8 to 16 centimeters (3 to 6 inches).

Field propagation by dormant unrooted hardwood cuttings is moderately successful. Dormant unrooted hardwood cuttings should be wounded through bark in multiple locations to enhance rooting and establishment. Plant in moist, well-aerated soil. Redosier dogwood can also be propagated by layering. Layer existing stems by pulling branches to the ground and covering with soil, this will result in rooted material that can later be cut/dug and transplanted.

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Last Modified: 07/05/2007