All media depicts mature plants.

Arctic Fire® Red Red-Twig Dogwood (Cornus)

Shrub

61 total reviews

  • Proven Winners plant with stunning red stems in winter for arrangements!
  • Does not sucker like other types.
  • Attracts wildlife from spring through winter.
  • Deer, rabbit, and disease resistant.
  • Zones 2-7, sun/part sun/shade, 5′ tall x 5′ wide at maturity. 
  • ZONE
  • EXPOSURE
  • HEIGHT
Size: One Quart
Regular price $33.00
Sale price Sale: $33.00 Regular price Each
Total: $33.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee

Description

Don't dread winter - celebrate it, with the bold and cheerful red stems of Arctic Fire® Red red-twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) from Proven Winners! This super durable native shrub looks rugged and handsome in the landscape all season, but come autumn, the leaves drop to reveal bright red stems that persist in the landscape all winter. It truly shines when surrounded by a blanket of fresh snow. Perfect for just about any landscape, this dogwood grows to half the height of most varieties, making it easy to fit just about anywhere. This shrub also does well in the shade! We absolutely love this and Arctic Fire Red-Twig dogwood planted in front of evergreens, the wall of your home, or anywhere they can be appreciated against a backdrop to really make their color pop.

Details

Botanical name: Cornus sericea 'Farrow'
Patent #: USPP 18,523
Common name: Red twig dogwood
Zone: 2 - 7
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 3-5' tall x 3-5' wide
Flower color: White
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Winter
Bloom time: Spring
Features: Fall interest, winter interest, wet soils, suitable for slopes, Proven Winners, native, drought tolerant, deer resistant, cold tolerant
Uses: Accent, background, border, erosion control or embankment, foundation, hedge, massing, naturalizing, rain garden, slopes, specimen, waterside, woodland.

How to Grow

Soil: Adaptable to most any level of soil moisture and pH. Can become stressed in extremely dry conditions, however.
Light: Sun/part sun/shade.  Will grow and survive in deep shade, but will not flower strongly, nor will its winter color be quite as vivid as if it gets some sun.
Water: Readily tolerates wet conditions and is often found growing on river banks and lakeshores in the wild. Established plants can tolerate some drought, but extreme drought may compromise aesthetics.
Spacing: 5-6' apart
Fertilizing: Supplemental fertilizer is not required. However, if you want faster growth, apply a granular rose or garden fertilizer in early spring, then again in early summer if desired.
Winterizing: No special care needed. A 2-3" layer of shredded bark mulch is beneficial. Stems can be cut for decorations and arrangements if desired.
Maintenance The best stem color on red-twig dogwoods appears on stems that are one or two years old. As stems mature, they develop corky, bark-like growth that obscures the color. As such, plants should be pruned yearly or every other year once they're established (3-4 years after planting).
Pruning: Prune by cutting the entire plant back to small stumps in early spring (note that this method removes flower buds; it also will leave you with no coverage for several weeks as the plant recovers). The second method involves removing one-third of the oldest growth each spring by nipping it out at the base.

Our Guide for Fall Planting

The start of fall may signal the gardening season is coming to a close, but it’s not over yet! There is still plenty of time to enjoy colorful flowers and foliage or even sprinkle in some new perennials and shrubs before winter arrives.

Grow with confidence

Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:

bush distance

Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:

bush distance zigzag

Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.

Plant Spacing Calculator

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  • 5 stars: 41 (67%)
  • 4 stars: 5 (8%)
  • 3 stars: 3 (5%)
  • 2 stars: 6 (10%)
  • 1 star: 6 (10%)
B
B.J. (Georgia)
Terrible batch of plants

Of the 5 purchased, 2 were on their last legs, 1 was fair to middling and 2 were robust. I went ahead and put all 5 in the ground. At this point 1 is flat out dead, 1 is fighting weakly to survive and 3 will be ok. I have photos if I can figure out how to attach them

We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. Our team of horticulture experts would love to take a closer look! Please contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants so we can better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee

P
P.C. (Pennsylvania)
Extremely small, very pricey

Even on sale this shrub is way over priced. The two that I received are very small, as are the Hostas and the fern I also ordered.The plant size page to which the customer assistance associate referred me mentions only the container size, and nothing about the size of the plant that’s being sent. I realize that the plants aren’t going to be mature when received; however, this is the first time that I’ve been surprised by how tiny the plants I received are. I have ordered from this company on multiple occasions, and this is the first time that I have been unsatisfied with my purchase. I don’t recommend buying this shrub.

We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary.

L
L. (New Jersey)
Didn’t make it

Followed all directions and the plant was done in less than 2 weeks.

Our friendly customer service team is here to help! Just contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants. After further investigation, we will be able to better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee

B
B.R. (Pennsylvania)
Plants Unhealthy, One Died

When I received the plants, they were scraggly. One was half dead upon arrival. I planted them, hoping the near-dead one would come around because there was some life to it. It did not. The other two are living, but are struggling. I will see if they make it through the winter and grow back stronger next spring.

Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee

E
E.S. (Colorado)
Great Plant

Arrived in great shape. Got it planted and it is thriving.

P
P.P.

Awesome individual. Bought to replace one that died. Put it in the ground and started growing right away. In what, two weeks?, it has added a few leaves and a couple of stems are 1-2 inches taller. Fantastic little guy.

j
j. (Ohio)
Deer love this bush

At least in my area the deer regularly prune my Red Twigs… 2 of the five had to be replanted due since they did not survive the pruning. Purhaps they enjoy a little roughage with their hosta salad.

E
E.T. (Virginia)
Lovely plant

I fell in love with this plant and quickly ordered it. It arrived promptly and in great condition. However, I haven’t planted it yet as I’m quite undecided where in the yard to plant it. I do look forward to planting it soon where I can enjoy it all year round!

P
P.P.

The sedum and one of the dogwoods are doing great. The other dogwood is struggling quite a bit. We'll see.

G
G.W. (Virginia)
good job

my plant are doing well . i am disabled so i have to get someone to help me. i love your plants but its been hot and i dont want to take a chance of them dying on me

D
D.A. (Virginia)
Love the hard to find plants

Plants came in good shape. The positive that I get from the small size. Is I don't have to dig large hole's.

G
G.G. (Indiana)
Good delivery and instructions for temporary care

My plant looked wonderful, but due to cold weather, I have not been able to plant it outside. It’s not looking so great now.

Hello! It is common for plants to experience slight stress from shipping, as they have not experienced their ideal growing conditions at this time. We recommend placing plants in a cool, shaded spot out of direct sunlight for 24-48 hours after unpacking them. This allows them a recovery and acclimation period before planting. If you must hold them longer, place them out of direct sunlight, wind, heat, and cold, and plant as soon as possible. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process, and we can make sure your plants are on the right track! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee

T
T.W. (Illinois)
Beautiful Plants!

My plants arrived quickly, healthy and in beautiful condition. I have planted them in my garden and the stems are turning red already. Looking forward to next spring!

L
L.O. (Illinois)
Great

Shipped perfectly to arrive in great shape. Beautifully full little plant that is showing great growth. I have always had wonderful results with great Garden plants.

always have had wonderful success with great Garden plants.

S
S.T. (Michigan)
Shipped well and thriving

Arrived in great shape and were planted immediately. They are placed on a river bank to stabilize it and love the location so far.

M
M. (New Jersey)
Horrible not worth the money.

Horrible not worth the money. Came in half dead looks like a stick. Don’t waste your money.. Buy local.

Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee

J
J.F.

Beautifully packaged. Everything I ordered from this company just thrives.

C
C.M. (New York)
Beautiful Shrub

The Red Twig Dogwood shrub that I ordered from Great Gardens arrived in perfect condition and was transplanted it to my garden without any transplant shock. It has been doing well since. I can’t wait to see it when it gets bigger!

m
m.s. (Arkansas)
Lovely plants

They arrived quickly and in excellent condition. They have been settling in very nicely. Quite pleased.

M
M.M.

Plants arrived well packed and in great shape. They looked better than the 3 gallon ones at the local Lowes. TBD on whether or not theyll do well since i just planted them.

J
J.D.

Plants were all healthy and shipping was fast. Will order again in the future.

D
D.F. (Idaho)
Red-twig

This plant arrived in great condition and has thrived since planted in a container.

J
J.C.

Plants arrived in very good condition. Instructions included for planting and a gardening. Simplified magazine with wonderful landscaping ideas.

J
J.S. (Texas)
Not in good shape

Plants arrived wilted and limp.

We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. Your plants are most likey experiencing stress from shipping, which is very common and normal. When this happens, we recommend you place the plants in a cool, shaded spot out of direct sunlight for 24-48 hours after unpacking them. This allows them a recovery and acclimation period before planting. If you must hold them longer, place them out of direct sunlight, wind, heat, and cold while checking daily for watering. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee

C
C.P. (Illinois)
Exactly what I wanted

Well packed, healthy plants.

R
R.K. (Colorado)
Condition of plants

The Artic Red Dogwoods arrived in good shape. All were planted 4 weeks ago and are doing well.