Viva Dogwood Shrubs!

Yellow twigged

Red Twigged 

Okay, I'm a big fan of dogwood shrubs. Let's get that out in the open... red twigged, yellow twigged, variegated foliage-- I love them all!  Since I've started at Quilchena these shrubs have inevitably started popping up around the joint.  A previous gardener must have shared my love of these plants because some red twigged varieties decorate the parking lot.  I've also added the red twigged variety to the putting green bed and yellow twigged variety to the front bank bed near the gazebo. Perhaps one may have slipped into the bed at #10 as well.

My passion for these twiggy gems lies in the versatility of these plants.  First things first, during the bleak Winter months, few plants add as much colour or interest to our landscapes as the dogwood shrubs.  The ruby toned ('Cardinal') or golden stems ('Flaviramea') of Cornus sericea lifting through the landscape are the few examples of Winter cheer in the long dark months of December through to February.  They also add a wonderful contrast to the Winter hardy evergreens that are showing life at this time of the year.

Variegated Dogwood

When I refer to Dogwood shrubs, I am not referring to our provincial tree ( Cornus nuttallii) or the bright pink blooms of the Korean Dogwood tree (Cornus kousa).  Although I love those too.  Those are very large trees. I am in fact referring to the twiggy, North American native shrub species of Cornus sericea or Osier Dogwood. These shrubs are moisture loving deciduous shrubs that lose their leaves in the fall to expose brightly coloured multi-stems. They have open, vase shaped habits.

During the growing season they have a reasonable white flower that mature to white berries.  This is excellent bird food. Plus, their branch structure provides desirable perching areas for birds.  They have outstanding naturalizing qualities because they also help against soil erosion.  The height of Cornus sericea is a great asset to any garden bed.  They have a slow growing mature height of about 7', but can be coppiced (cut to the base) every year in early Spring to rejuvenate those fresh stems and keep the size compact. A very generous shrub that has all-season interest, ecological properties and is incredibly adaptable to soil conditions and sun exposure.  That concludes my love letter to Cornus sericea.