LATIN NAME: CORNUS SANGUINEA

COMMON NAME: Dogwood, Bloodtwig Dogwood, Common Dogwood

The Cornus sanguinea, or bloodtwig dogwood, is one of the most colourful of the winter shrubs, and its bright-red, bare stems in the winter and its small, white flowers in the spring have made it a favourite of the hedgerows and the gardens across the temperate world. It grows as a deciduous shrub of the dogwood family, reaching up to four metres or more, with the many upright, bright-red stems which are most striking in the winter, bearing opposite, oval, pointed, dark-green leaves which turn to the warm reds and purples in the autumn, and bearing, in the late spring and the early summer, the small, white flowers in the flat, dense clusters, followed by the small, black berries in the autumn. It is a species of the flowering shrub, native to the hedgerows and the woodland edges of Europe and the western Asia, while it has been cultivated in the gardens for its winter stems, and it is known as the bloodtwig dogwood, the common dogwood or the dogwood.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The bloodtwig dogwood has a real and distinguished place in research. It has been studied in the horticulture and the ornamental-plant science, since the Cornus sanguinea is prized for its bright-red winter stems and its easy cultivation, and the researchers have examined its many forms, its breeding and its cultivation, while the study of the dogwoods and their varieties has drawn attention in the international horticultural press. The plant has also been studied in the ecology and the conservation, since the dogwoods are important plants of the hedgerows and the woodland edges and a food source for the birds and the wildlife, and the researchers have examined their role in the ecosystems and their value in the conservation, while the study of the native shrubs has been of continuing interest. The species has also been studied in botany, since it is a member of the dogwood family and a relative of the other dogwoods, and its relationships, its distribution and its many forms have been examined, while the bright-red winter stems and the black berries of the Cornus sanguinea have been of interest to the botanists and the gardeners. For a shrub of such winter colour, the bloodtwig dogwood has a rich and distinguished record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

To grow the Bloodtwig Dogwood from seed, the bloodtwig dogwood is a deciduous shrub of the hedgerows and the woodland edges, bearing the small, white flowers in the flat clusters in the spring and the black berries in the autumn. Its black berries are a vital food for the birds and the small animals, and its dense, branching growth gives a fine shelter and a nesting site for the birds, while its bright-red winter stems give a striking presence in the garden and the hedgerow. Its economic value is real: the Cornus sanguinea is prized as an ornamental shrub for the winter garden and the hedgerow, and its value has drawn attention in the international horticultural press, while the bright-red stems and the easy cultivation have made it a favourite of the gardens and the conservation plantings, and the shrub is a fine addition to the winter garden, the hedgerow and the woodland edge. To raise the bloodtwig dogwood, sow the seeds in pots of moist, open soil in a cool, bright place, keep them gently watered, and grow the little shrubs on in the light.

sow the seeds in pots of moist, open soil in a cool, bright place, keep the young dogwood gently watered, and grow the little shrubs on in the light.

  Cornus Sanguinea Also known as: Dogwood, Midwinter Fire, Winter Flame Grown for its colorful winter stems, this spectacular Dogwood will really brighten up the garden during those cold, grey days. Cloaked in green foliage throughout summer, Cornus Sanguina Winter Flame bears tiny white flowers followed by glossy black berries. By autumn the foliage turns to a fiery shade of red before falling to the ground to reveal spectacular orange, yellow and red stems. A superbly versatile, deciduous shrub for year round interest. Great for borders and beds, and look best planted in groups in front of a dark background, such as an evergreen hedge. It also does well in a container. The stems are used in flower arranging. Apart from regular pruning, this plant is low maintenance and requires no other care. However, you may find that you need to remove suckers regularly as they tend to pop up all over the place as the plant spreads out. It will grow in a wide range of soils and locations, but gives its best winter stem color in full sun. Height: 3m (10). Spread: 2.5m (8).