Shrubby dogwoods
These flaming beauties offer fiery autumn leaves followed by vibrant winter stems, says Graham Rice
What’s that reddish blur in the hedgerow? Take a countryside walk almost anywhere in lowland Britain now and you’ll probably notice a dull reddish haze up ahead. As you approach, you’ll find it’s not tired autumn foliage hanging on. No, it’s what’s revealed when the leaves fall: the red winter twigs of our wild dogwood (Cornus sanguinea). Happiest in lime-rich soil, chalk or clay, this shrub also offers creamy spring flowers followed by blue-black fruits.
But it’s the vibrant winter stems that are the main attraction, and varieties of our native C. sanguinea produce some of the best. Others with impressive colour are forms of its North American cousin,
C. sericea, and C. alba from China and Siberia. From the gardener’s point of view, they’re all very similar and can be treated in the same way – and it’s all about pruning and feeding.
With the red, orange, yellow, green or almost black colouring provided solely by the bare winter stems, the more stem length the plants produce, the more colourful they’ll be. And we all know the old adage: growth follows the knife. So, we prune, and we prune hard, just as the new leaf buds are showing green in late winter.
But here’s the thing: if we simply prune, the plants will eventually use up the nutrients in the soil and each year’s twigs will become shorter, thinner and less colourful. But a general fertiliser in spring and a mulch in autumn every couple of years will drive each winter’s burst of twiggy colour.
M Position Best in full sun and preferably, but not exclusively, lime-rich soil. Most reach 1-1.2m if pruned annually. All are hardy and wind tolerant. M Care Prune hard each year as the spring buds open, or in alternate years to create a larger plant. Feed every spring to encourage strong growth.
M Where to buy ashwoodnurseries.com, 01384 401996; burncoose.co.uk, 01209 860316; crocus.co.uk, 01344 578000.
VISIT gardenersworld.com/dogwood for more expert advice on growing shrubby dogwoods and how to get the best displays