Deciduous, Eastern North American shrub Description: White flowers in late spring followed by white fruit, which is slightly tinged bluish; bright crimson stems add winter interest Habit: Grows 6 to 9 ft. high, forms a thicket with spreading by suckering roots Culture: Prefers full sun to light shade; tolerates moist soil Hardiness: Cold hardy to USDA Zone 2 Origin: North America Attributes: Attractive bark, rain garden, deer resistant, attracts birds This vigorous, suckering shrub was introduced to Europe in 1656. Andre Michaux named it Swida stolonifera but Linnaeus later changed it to Cornus sericea. John Bartram's Garden Catalogue of North American Plants, 1783, included this species as the "Red Willow" dogwood and Philadelphia nurseryman Bernard McMahon's Catalogue of Seeds, 1804, listed Cornus sericea as the "Blue-berried Dogwood." It was considered the "best red-barked shrub for winter effects" by garden writer Neltje Blanchan in The American Flower Garden, 1913. The fruits are attractive to birds while the foliage is not attractive to deer. This plant will ship bare-root. Approximately 18"-24" tall.Bare root planting tips: If you can't plant immediately, store your plant in a cool location and keep the roots moist or pot in a container with a nursery potting mix from your local garden center. Before planting, let the roots soak for several hours as you prepare the site. You'll want to dig a large enough hole so the root mass can spread out and the plant is at the same soil level as when it was growing in the nursery. Once planted, water it in well and wait a month before fertilizing. Mulching will help to maintain moisture and raise soil temperatures for faster growth.
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