I do not recommend Red Osier, it is the poorest variety for coloring. That is based on my own personal experience, and based on what I've read (after the fact).

Is Red Osier the shorter shrub variety (arctic fire)? I was looking at getting that one........

I think Baileyi is an -osier, right?

Do you know what mine is? it is no where near 6-8 feet. Mine grows more like a shrub form.
Tammy
{{gwi:199744}}

connietri, by the way, whatever happened with that grafted red/yellow-twig dogwood thing that you saw at the farmers' market a couple weeks ago? Did you figure out what the deal was with it?

tlacuache, I went back down there yesterday and they were all gone! I was going to check it out more closely and maybe take a picture to post here. Maybe they will have more...I'll keep checking back. I'm really curious about those now!

Sorry, I left out pertinent info. I was specifically referring to 'Cardinal' Red Osier dogwood.

I read the variety has the poorest coloring and got the info from a horticultural website, but I've tried to locate the info unsuccessfully. Still, I'm coming across other articles which read just the opposite, but I'll go based on my own experience, though I'll admit it was not in full sun. I've seen other posts from those in zone 4 which had spectacular red coloring, so maybe the colder the zone, the better the color, and I'm reading that color varies from pink to red. I definitely did not have any red coloring in mine, and it went to the dump. 'Cardinal' is a larger variety.

ivory halo is the easiest variegated red twig to find here; a recent intro. It stays smaller than cornus alba elegantissima(gets to 8' or so here) which is also varieg and red stems. we have both and they are both in our top 3 shrubs here. for non variegated,cornus sang. midwinter fire is a tremendous plant; branches go from red to orange to apricot as they approach their tips and their fall foliage is an unusual striking spricot. can get 8' or so but you can keep them shorter.
{{gwi:199745}}From carb ppl,blue yell foliage

midwinter flame in rear left

{{gwi:199747}}From CARB SHRUBS

ivory halo

shouldn't be hard to find either. fairweather in n.j., forestfarm in ore. for the midw. fire; everybody for the iv. halo- the standard carried by all the nurseries up here.

best,
mindy

Here is a link that might be useful: photos of widwinter fire stems in winter

Midwinter Fire sounds like just what I'm looking for, especially with the nice fall color. I wonder if the color would be as good here in Z7?

connie, i first saw its stunning self in england at adrian bloom's garden in norfolk; i'd guess that's z.7 or 8. also, i don't think a woody plant's stem color changes with zones.
best,
mindy

Remember that the best color is on the younger stems. To maintain good stem color plan to prune out some of the oldest stems each year once it's well established.

Mindy, the foliage on your Ivory Halo is just gorgeous! Mine never look that good. But I think I planted mine in too sunny and dry of a spot. I'm considering moving them, but I love them right where they are in winter.

:)
Dee

Can someone post pics of their Arctic Fire dogwood. Most of the pics online seem to be the exact same one recycled. I want to get some idea as to how much space to give it and what location.

I think it depends on if you're more interested in summer interest, or winter interest. I'm guessing if you're in TN and have a longer growing season that me (in MN), you might go more for a variegated leaf, like Ivory Halo.

If you really want something super unique after the leaves fall, check out 'Cardinal'. It has an almost fluorescent quality to it in the winter.

I'm in SE MI. Don't really have the space for the larger dogwoods like Cardinal and plan to squeeze the dwarf arctic fire (Cornus sericea?)variety into the bed in front of the house. With the pale background of the bay window, I figure it should give decent winter interest. I don't think it does much in the summer. Would like to see both summer and winter pics if anyone has any......

I'm under the impression that 'Midwinter Fire' is confused in the trade, and is also sold as 'Winter Beauty' and 'Winter Flame', so my advice would be to buy that one before it leafed out, so that you could judge the stem color beforehand. I really want a yellow-twigged variety with red tips, and would love to see pictures and hear more about those. Not trying to hijack, sorry!

I wouldn't worry about your red-twigged dogwoods getting too large, since after a couple of years anyway, you would be taking out the oldest stems to the base of the plant. In the case of benign neglect, maybe I would worry a little more, lol.

I purchased 'Alleman's Compact' last year. In full sun, they have very dark red stems. I passed on the 'Arctic Fire' offered last year, they were so tiny & I didn't want a container plant, I wanted a shrub grouping.

In reading a little, it really does sound like Midwinter Fire and Winter Flame are six and one half dozen the other. Sound almost identical!

Not so much worried about height as I am about spread. I don't think I have the area for one of the larger dogwoods hence looking for arctic fire.

dd, the good foliage you see is in full sun next to heat of a sidewalk. they don't like real dry as we found when we lost a number to 'square peg/round hole stubbornness disease'in our dry shade area.

best,
mindy
******for those of you who want more info and photos, i strongly suggest you post your requests on the GW shrub forum. Also, it's easy to see catalogue photos of a huge variety of woodies, w/ accurate descriptions, on the encyclopedic forestfarm site.*********

Here is a link that might be useful: forestfarm, the most encyclopedic U.S. nursery catalogue for woody plants

I grow cornus alba 'elegantissima', 'gouchaultii' and 'aurea'. I love the different foliage colors and the slightly different red stem colors (gouchaultii is the darket red). As others have said height is not an issue with these cultivars becuase you need to trim out the oldest growth every year to keep the stem color vibrant. However, as to spread all three of my cultivars sucker (elegantissima is the worst) so you need to be diligent about keeping them in bounds. I consider these 4 season plants.

miclino~The Arctic Fire dogwoods (the correct name for the new red-twigged dwarf) that I've seen were all little, little. I know they grow fast, but patience is not one of my virtues, lol.

connie~If you haven't already, consider adding a pussy willow shrub to your garden, remember those from elementary school projects? There's a small weeping tree (Salix caprea pendula) that looks pretty cool.

I have thought about pussy willow - they were selling cuttings of the black one at the Lawn & Garden show recently. Very cool! But I hesitated because I was under the impression they need a lot of water, almost boggy type of situation. Is that true?

I tend towards xeric plants, so I might even be pushing it with the dogwood...

red twigs, at mine loves moisture. Every time it rains, the dam thing grows several inches. I wish I only had to prune mine once a year, its more like every three weeks during the growing season or sooner when it rains. If I didn't it would be eight feet or taller. So if your looking into xeric plants, then a dogwood might not be what your looking for.

IMO....I wouldn't take one if they tried to give it to me.

We had a mass planting along the back fence a few years ago and ended up ripping them out 4 years later. You have to trim all the brown dead branches off the base and some get quite thick. We had to purchase huge loppers to get 'em off.

They would look good for about three weeks and then start looking ratty the rest of the summer.

It became a huge chore since some the branches get pretty thick.

Connie You might find it at the BLOOM&GARDEN EXPO this week at Williamson Co Ag Center 9/10/11.Hope to see you there.
PAT (THORNEBIRD IRIS) from the mtps.

Pat, when are you going? I will probably go too. Maybe we could try to meet there. I've never been to that one.

(I will never forget the Thornbird Iris. You were TOO sweet!)

Connie,I usually get a 3 day pass(10.00).Get there early
FRI.to find things I really want,and meet up with friends.
It is supposed to be bigger and better this year.All space sold out this year.First time ever.Sometimes I go on SUN.
after church and find some good deals.Hope to see you there.
Pat.