American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Big lacy flower heads in summer give way to purple-black berries for both birds and your kitchen.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
- Home
- Plant guide
- Red-Twig Dogwood
White, white berries
Shrub
Red-Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Grown for its fire-engine-red winter stems, with white spring flowers and berries birds devour.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Midwestthe Great Plainsthe Mountain Westthe Pacific Northwest
Growing Red-Twig Dogwood
Cut a third of the oldest stems each spring to keep the winter color vivid. Spreads to colonize wet banks and control erosion. It’s easy to grow, good for winter interest, and salt-tolerant.
Where it grows
Red-Twig Dogwood is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa and 32 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Red-Twig Dogwood on 42 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Red-Twig Dogwood
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Red-Twig Dogwood’s range and conditions.
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
A low, spreading shrub that blankets dry banks and blazes scarlet and orange in fall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
A bulletproof hedge shrub with white spring flowers, blue fall berries, and burgundy autumn leaves.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Spherical white 'pincushion' flowers over standing water, swarmed by butterflies and bees.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug