Our Mission: as our climate changes, ACER supports communities with grass-roots initiatives to plant trees and educate participants in measuring, monitoring and reporting on tree health and growth.

Celebrate 35 Years of ACER in the Community –  Donate Today for Climate’s Sake!

Shrubs: Red osier dogwood

Latin Name: Cornus stolonifera Michx.

General Description: An upright or loosely spreading shrub, commonly forms thickets and reaches a height of about 2 or 3. Common throughout southern Ontario. Throughout winter, stems are bright red.

Leaves: Simple, opposite and deciduous, blades 5-15 cm long and 2.5 – 9 cm wide, broadly oval shaped and tapers to a short point.

red osier dogwood leaves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twigs: Branchlets are green or with fine hairs, soon becoming smooth and purplish to bright red.

red osier dogwood stem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruit: Round, berrylike, 6 mm or more in diameter, usually white or slightly blue-toned, bears in August and September, grows in clusters.

Flowers: Small, dull white, in slightly rounded clusters; flowers in late June.

Sources used: Shrubs of Ontario by James H. Soper and Margaret L. Heimburger (1994).