Wildlife
- Feeds birds
- Butterflies & moths
- Shelter & nesting
Nearly 100 bird species eat the berries or shelter in the stems, and it is a larval host for the spring azure butterfly.
Ships bare root
Native
Mature plant shown. Yours ships dormant and bare root.
What arrives
1 dormant bare-root plant
- No leaves, no pot, no soil. Roots packed moist.
- Ships in your zone's planting window.
- Leafs out about 4–8 weeks after planting.
Native shrub
Red Osier Dogwood
Cornus sericea
- 1 plant, bare root
- Zones 2–7
- Grows 6–9 ft
$10.95
No reviews yet. Be the first to reviewThe quick answer
Red osier dogwood is a native deciduous shrub for USDA zones 2-7 that grows 6-9 feet tall and 7-10 feet wide. It grows in full sun to part shade and handles wet soil. Buy it for bright red winter stems, white spring flowers and white berries that feed dozens of bird species.
When it ships to you
Zone scheduleHow many?
plants
Free shipping on orders $75+$75
Healthy deliveryOr we replace it
Shipped dormantTimed to your zone
1-year warrantyStore credit, terms
Red Osier Dogwood plant profile
Mature size6–9 ft tall · 7–10 ft wide
Typical (6 ft)Up to 9 ft
Loose, multi-stemmed shrub with bright red young stems; spreads into a thicket if left unpruned.
USDA hardiness zones2–7
Sun & growth
SlowMediumFast
Full sun gives the best flowers and red stem color, but it tolerates part shade.
SoilpH 6.0–8.0
4 acidic6.59 alkaline
Prefers moist soil and tolerates wet ground, clay, occasional flooding and short dry spells.
Native to the USReddish-purple fall colorWindbreakHedge & screen
Flowers & fruit
Flat clusters of creamy white flowers bloom in late May to June. Bluish-white berries ripen in late summer and are eaten by birds.
Leaves & fall color
Reddish-purple in fall. Oval green leaves turn reddish-purple in fall.
Pests & disease
Stem canker and leaf spots are the most common problems. Scale and twig blight can also occur; removing old stems helps.
Pruning
In early spring, cut a few of the oldest stems to the ground each year to keep the stems bright red. Overgrown shrubs can be cut back hard to renew them.
Bare root vs potted
Skip the garden-center markup.
Garden centers buy young plants, pot them, grow them another season and mark them up. We ship yours dormant and bare root, timed to your planting window.
Bare root, from us$10.95ships dormant
Example: 3-gal potted American hazelnut$70–$140online retail prices checked Oct 2026
A year with your Red Osier Dogwood
SPRINGCut a few of the oldest stems to the ground for the brightest red twigs.
SUMMERFlat clusters of creamy white flowers in late May to June.
LATE SUMMERBluish-white berries ripen and are quickly eaten by birds.
FALLLeaves turn reddish-purple, then bright red stems stand out all winter.
Questions people ask about Red Osier Dogwood
How do I keep red osier dogwood stems bright red?
Each spring, cut a few of the oldest, dullest stems off at ground level. Young stems have the brightest red color, and full sun deepens it.
Will red osier dogwood grow in wet soil?
Yes. It is native to stream banks and wet areas and tolerates wet soil and occasional flooding, as well as some drought once established.
How big does red osier dogwood get?
It grows 6-9 feet tall and spreads 7-10 feet wide, forming thickets if not pruned.
Are red osier dogwood berries edible?
They are not a food for people, but birds eat them readily in late summer.
What does red osier dogwood look like when it arrives?
It ships as a dormant, leafless bare-root shrub about 18-24 inches tall. Soak the roots and plant it soon after arrival.
Plant it in 4 steps
- Soak the roots in cold water overnight before planting.
- Dig twice as wide as the roots; plant at the depth it grew.
- Water, then mulch. No fertilizer the first season.
- Water regularly until it's established.
Plant facts checked October 2026 against: Morton Arboretum, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Minnesota.