Red-osier dogwood – Cornus sericea

Formerly (Cornus stolonifera)

Pronunciation: “korn'us SUR-ih-see-ah”

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.

Cornus sericea - red-osier dogwood the Latin name for Cornus mas from "cornu" (hard - for the wood) / silky or Latin "serus" (late or tardy) (stolonifera means "bearing stolons")

Native Plants of the Intermountain West