Other common names:
Red Osier Cornel Family: Dogwood Family (Cornaceae) Group: Dogwoods Distinctive features: Shrub, ;This shrub has distinctive red bark and usually grows in wet areas. Twigs have white pith. Similar species: •
Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) - has striped bark. •
Round-leaved Dogwood (Cornus rugosa) - has large round leaves. • Alternate-leaved Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) - has alternate leaves •
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - has showy white flowers with large petals (actually sepals). • Dogwoods Flowers: Spring, Summer; White; 4 parts (petals) Leaves: Opposite/Whorled; Simple; Entire; Opposite, simple. Habitat:
Open wetlands, damp woods. Grows in Sun/Shade:
Sun Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 166 Shrubs of Ontario: 359 Native/Non-native:
Native Status:
Very common.
See Also: • Great Americans: Dogwood, from The Monday Garden, by Sue Sweeney For more information visit: Ontario Trees and Shrubs Photographs:
71 photographs available, of which 8 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.
Like most dogwoods, it has opposite leaves and branches.
Note the distinctive shiny red bark. Near the ground it tends to be more green. The coloration appears to be dependent on whether the sun shines on the bark. Where shaded, it is green. In the sun, it is red.
The pith of Red Osier Dogwood is white. (The pith of the very similar Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) is brown).
Winter buds.
Flowers
Ripening fruit in the fall.
Red Osier Dogwood is very good for making baskets, as it bends easily without readily breaking. For more information about this, please visit the Wildwood Survival website, containers section.
