Family: Cornaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Mant. Pl. 2: 199 (1771)
Year: 1771
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Cornus
Vegetable: False
Observations: N. America
Description
The Red-osier dogwood, scientifically known as Cornus sericea, is a striking deciduous shrub celebrated for its vibrant red stems, which make a vivid statement against the often stark backdrop of winter landscapes. First described by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in his work Mantissa Plantarum in 1771, this hardy plant has carved out a significant niche in the flora of North America.
Belonging to the Cornaceae family, the Red-osier dogwood is native to a wide range of regions across North America, where it thrives in various habitats, from wetlands to forests and open meadows. Its adaptability to different soil types and moisture levels makes it a versatile addition to gardens and natural plantings, where it often functions as a stabilizer in riparian zones, preventing soil erosion with its extensive root system.
The plant’s most recognizable feature is its brilliant red stems, which contrast beautifully with the white snow in winter or the lush green of summer. In spring and early summer, the Red-osier dogwood produces flat-topped clusters of small, creamy-white flowers that attract a variety of pollinators. These blossoms give way to white or bluish drupes by late summer, providing a crucial food source for birds and other wildlife.
In addition to its ornamental and ecological value, the Red-osier dogwood has been used by indigenous cultures for its medicinal properties and in crafting objects like baskets and nets, demonstrating its utility beyond aesthetics.
Overall, Cornus sericea stands out not only for its year-round visual appeal but also for its ecological benefits and cultural significance, making it a cherished plant in both wild and cultivated settings.
Common Names
Nld: canadese kornoeilje, canadese kornoelje
Ita: corniolo serico
Fra: cornouiller, cornouiller soyeux, cornouiller hart-rouge, cornouiller stolonifère, hart rouge
Dan: hvid kornel, krybende kornel, pile-kornel
Eng: red-osier dogwood, red-osier dogwood, red willow, redosier, redosier dogwood, red osier dogwood, red-osier cornel, red-stemmed dogwood
Deu: seidiger hornstrauch, weißer hartriegel
Nob: alaskakornell
Nno: alaskakornell
Lav: atvasainais grimonis, atvasainais grimonis cv.
Swe: lännenpensaskanukka, videkornell
Fin: lännenpensaskanukka
Ces: svída výběžkatá
Hun: tarackos som
Cym: cwyros coch, cwyrosyn cochfrig
En: Red-osier dogwood, Redosier dogwood, REDOSIER, Red-osier dogwood, red willow, Red osier dogwood, Red-osier cornel, Red-stemmed dogwood
Be: Свідзіна парасткавая
Zh: 红色山茱萸
Cr: Mikwapimakwa
Cs: Svída výběžkatá
Da: Pile-Kornel, Hvid kornel, Krybende kornel
Nl: Canadese kornoeilje, Canadese kornoelje
Fi: Pensaskanukka, Lännenkanukka, Lännenpensaskanukka
Fr: Cornouiller, Cornouiller soyeux, Cornouiller hart-rouge, Cornouiller stolonifère, Hart rouge
De: Seidiger Hartriegel, Seidiger Hornstrauch, Weißer Hartriegel, Sprossender Hartriegel
Hu: Tarackos som
It: Corniolo serico, Corniolo
Lv: Baltais grimonis, Atvasainais grimonis, Atvasainais grimonis cv.
Nv: Kʼaiʼ łichíʼii
No: Alaskakornell
Nb: Alaskakornell
Nn: Alaskakornell
Fa: زغالاخته ابریشمی
Pl: Dereń rozłogowy
Es: Svilnati dren
Sv: Videkornell, Lännenpensaskanukka
Zh-hant: 紅色山茱萸
Cy: Cwyrosyn cochfrig, Cwyros Coch
Synonyms
- Cornus alba var. coloradensis (Koehne)
- Cornus alba var. elongata (Koehne)
- Cornus sericea f. californica ((C.A.Mey.) Fosberg)
- Cornus sericea f. baileyi ((J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans) Fosberg)
- Cornus alba var. interior ((Rydb.) B.Boivin)
- Cornus californica var. nevadensis (Jeps.)
- Cornus sericea f. stolonifera ((Michx.) Fosberg)
- Thelycrania instolonea ((A.Nelson) Pojark.)
- Cornus purshii (G.Don)
- Cornus stolonifera f. angustior (Lepage)
- Cornus stolonifera var. nitida ((Koehne) C.K.Schneid.)
- Cornus nelsonii (Rose)
- Cornus stolonifera var. riparia ((Rydb.) Visher)
- Cornus stolonifera f. californica ((C.A.Mey.) C.L.Hitchc.)
- Cornus alba subsp. stolonifera ((Michx.) Wangerin)
- Cornus stolonifera var. flaviramea ((Späth ex Koehne) Rehder)
- Swida stolonifera ((Michx.) Rydb.)
- Swida californica ((C.A.Mey.) Abrams)
- Cornus alba f. azurea ((Lepage) B.Boivin)
- Cornus stolonifera f. flaviramea ((Späth ex Koehne) Rickett)
- Cornus instolonea (A.Nelson)
- Thelycrania interior ((Rydb.) Pojark.)
- Thelycrania stolonifera ((Michx.) Pojark.)
- Cornus stolonifera f. azurea (Lepage)
- Swida sericea ((L.) Holub)
- Cornus stolonifera var. baileyi ((J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans) Drescher)
- Cornus stolonifera var. californica ((C.A.Mey.) McMinn)
- Ossea instolonea ((A.Nelson) Nieuwl. & Lunell)
- Cornus stolonifera var. elata ((Koehne) C.K.Schneid.)
- Cornus alba var. californica ((C.A.Mey.) B.Boivin)
- Cornus alba var. baileyi ((J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans) B.Boivin)
- Swida alba var. flaviramea ((Späth ex Koehne) P.D.Sell)
- Cornus candissima (Bisch.)
- Thelycrania baileyi ((J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans) Pojark.)
- Cornus alba var. elata (Koehne)
- Swida instolonea ((A.Nelson) Rydb.)
- Thelycrania californica ((C.A.Mey.) Pojark.)
- Cornus californica (C.A.Mey.)
- Cornus alba var. nitida (Koehne)
- Cornus sericea f. interior ((Rydb.) Fosberg)
- Cornus alba var. flaviramea (Späth ex Koehne)
- Cornus stolonifera (Michx.)
- Cornus stolonifera var. angustipetala ((Wolf) C.K.Schneid.)
- Cornus baileyi (J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans)
- Cornus sericea var. oblongifolia (DC.)
- Cornus stolonifera var. interior ((Rydb.) H.St.John)
- Cornus stolonifera var. splendens ((Demcker) C.K.Schneid.)
- Cornus stolonifera f. repens (Vict.)
- Cornus sericea subsp. stolonifera ((Michx.) Fosberg)
- Cornus alba f. baileyi ((J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans) Morley)
- Cornus alba var. splendens (Demcker)
- Ossea interior ((Rydb.) Lunell)
- Cornus stolonifera f. dolichocarpa (Lepage)
- Cornus alba var. angustipetala (Wolf)
- Swida alba subsp. stolonifera ((Michx.) Tzvelev)
- Cornus stolonifera var. elongata ((Koehne) C.K.Schneid.)
- Cornus stolonifera f. interior ((Rydb.) Rickett)
- Thelycrania interna (Pojark.)
- Swida stolonifera var. riparia (Rydb.)
- Cornus interior ((Rydb.) N.Petersen)
- Thelycrania sericea ((L.) Dandy)
- Cornus sericea var. baileyi ((J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans) Mohlenbr.)
- Cornus stolonifera f. baileyi ((J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans) Rickett)
- Cornus pubescens var. californica ((C.A.Mey.) J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans)
- Cornus stolonifera var. behnschii (C.K.Schneid.)
- Swida baileyi ((J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans) Rydb.)
- Cornus stolonifera var. coloradensis ((Koehne) C.K.Schneid.)
- Cornus alba var. behnschii (Schelle)
- Swida interior (Rydb.)
- Cornus alba subsp. baileyi ((J.M.Coult. & W.H.Evans) Wangerin)
Distribution
- Alaska (native)
- Alberta (native)
- Arizona (native)
- British Columbia (native)
- California (native)
- Colorado (native)
- Connecticut (native)
- Delaware (native)
- Idaho (native)
- Illinois (native)
- Iowa (native)
- Kansas (native)
- Kentucky (native)
- Labrador (native)
- Maine (native)
- Manitoba (native)
- Maryland (native)
- Masachusettes (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Michigan (native)
- Minnesota (native)
- Montana (native)
- Nebraska (native)
- Nevada (native)
- New Brunswick (native)
- New Hampshire (native)
- New Jersey (native)
- New Mexico (native)
- New York (native)
- Newfoundland (native)
- North Dakota (native)
- Northwest Territorie (native)
- Nova Scotia (native)
- Ohio (native)
- Ontario (native)
- Oregon (native)
- Pennsylvania (native)
- Prince Edward I. (native)
- Québec (native)
- Rhode I. (native)
- Saskatchewan (native)
- South Dakota (native)
- Utah (native)
- Vermont (native)
- Virginia (native)
- Washington (native)
- West Virginia (native)
- Wisconsin (native)
- Wyoming (native)
- Yukon (native)
- Austria (introduced)
- Belgium (introduced)
- Czechoslovakia (introduced)
- Denmark (introduced)
- Finland (introduced)
- Great Britain (introduced)
- Norway (introduced)
- Poland (introduced)
- Sweden (introduced)
- Switzerland (introduced)
Additional Images
Fruit
Taken Aug 10, 2019 by Étienne Pouliot (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 25, 2021 by Hannah Hannah (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 25, 2021 by Hannah Hannah (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 13, 2021 by Darren Giddins (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 7, 2017 by Keith Gebhardt (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Aug 7, 2017 by Keith Gebhardt (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 25, 2021 by Hannah Hannah (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 13, 2021 by Darren Giddins (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 16, 2018 by Markus Bleuler (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 31, 2020 by Anna Legendre (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Oct 17, 2019 by mohammad fazel dehkordi (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 28, 2022 by Dominik Muczyński (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 13, 2022 by Tristan Jaton-Maria (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 20, 2021 by Decobert Didier (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 19, 2022 by Annemarie Ahrens-Stehle (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Nov 6, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 19, 2022 by Annemarie Ahrens-Stehle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 20, 2022 by Dominik Muczyński (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 11, 2022 by ladyglasscreations (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 15, 2022 by Sylvain Boursier (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Sep 15, 2021 by annette hunter (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 1, 2019 by Carola Graw-Wüstenhagen (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 18, 2019 by Marina Pokrovskaya (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 8, 2019 by Sebastian Hernandez R (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 11, 2018 by Darius Lysandre (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Jan 20, 2020 by Kampf Robert (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 12, 2022 by Tristan Jaton-Maria (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 3, 2022 by Irmgard Groß (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 20, 2022 by Dominik Muczyński (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 6, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3082244)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:66169-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Cornus sericea L.)
Specifications
Growth habit: Tree, Shrub