Cornus sericea
Common name: 
Redosier Dogwood
Tatarian or Tartarian Dogwood
Pronunciation: 
KOR-nus ser-EE-se-a
Family: 
Cornaceae
Genus: 
Cornus
Synonyms: 
Cornus alba
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No

  • Broadleaf, deciduous multi-stemmed shrub, spreading habit, upright slender stems, bright red to dark red (especially attractive in winter), 7-10 ft (2-3 m) high or more.  Leaves simple, opposite, ovate to oblong-ovate, rounded at the base, 2-5 inches long and 1-2.5 inches wide (5-12.5 cm x 2.5-6 cm), medium to dark green above, reddish to purplish in fall.  Flowers small, dull white in flat-topped clusters, mostly borne in late spring to early summer. Fruit white, globose, single, smooth stone.

  • Sun to part shade. Vigorous.  Adapts to many soil types, best in moist, well-drained.  Prune out part of the old wood each year to encourage more colorful new growth (stems).

  • Hardy to USDA Zone 2  Native to the northern latitudes of North America as far south as Virginia, southern California, and Chihuahua, Mexico.  It is also found in Siberia, northern Korea, and northern China (formerly considered the native range of Cornus alba).

  • Taxonomy: In the pasts few years there have been several taxonmic changes in the genus Cornus, especially regarding the deciduous shrubs. Here I avoid the reasons for the changes and just provide the current (2025) classificatiion according to the Word Flora Online (WFO, https://www.worldfloraonline.org/).
    • Cornus alba: accepted name, some related plants are now considered synonyms of this species; including C. siberica and C. tartarica (see WFO for full listings)
    • Cornus sericea: accepted name, synonyms include C. sericea subsp. sericea, C. stolonifera, C. stolonifera var. californica
    • Cornus sanguinea and Cornus sanguinea subsp. sanguinea: both accepted names
    • Cornus torreyi: accepted name, synonyms include C. occidentalis and C. sericea subsp. occidentalis
  • Cultivars:
    • 'Flaveramia' - greenish yellow stems in winter, otherwise similar to species
    • 'Kelsey' - low growing shrub, green leaves in summer and purple-reddish in fall, twigs slender and young ones are bright red in winter
  • redosier: this common name apparently is in reference to the resemblance of the reddish stems to those of some willows called osiers, used in basketry (e.g. Salix purpurea).  Thin redosier stems can be used in weavings and as basket rims
  • sericea: silky, apparently a reference to fine hairs found on the upper surface of young leaves and on new twigs
Click image to enlarge
  • branches, spring

    branches, spring

  • developing flower cluster and leaves

    developing flower cluster and leaves

  • green and ripe fruit

    green and ripe fruit

  • leaves and fruit, late summer

    leaves and fruit, late summer

  • plant habit, fall

    plant habit, fall

  • stems and leaves, fall

    stems and leaves, fall

  • winter twigs

    winter twigs