How to Trim a Red Twig Dogwood

Red twig dogwood -- Cornus stolinifera or red-osier dogwood -- is an upright, multi-stemmed native shrub. In moist, well-drained soil, red twig dogwood grows quickly to a height of 4 to 5 feet. It develops small white flowers in the spring, but red twig dogwood is a good choice for winter interest; its deep-red branches retain their color as far north as zone 2. Prune red twig dogwood regularly to maintain shape and color.

Things You'll Need

• Bypass pruner
• Anvil loppers

Instructions

Early Spring Trimming

1. Cut live branches with bypass loppers and use anvil loppers to trim dead branches. Bypass loppers work like a scissor to slice plant stems cleanly; cut areas heal faster from a bypass cut. Anvil loppers press a blade against a flat surface and may crush or damage living limbs.

2. Remove any dead or diseased limbs. Damaged branches are easiest to spot before the plant leafs out, but unhealthy limbs should be pruned whenever they are noticed.

3. Cut back one-third of the stems. Remove the older branches because the best color appears on the younger stems. Cut the branches back to ground level.

4. Allow new suckers to develop over the summer months. These will be a deep red and provide the best winter color.

Restorative Pruning

1. Cut the entire plant back to 9 inches every three years. This will keep the plant shapely and colorful.

2. Remove any unhealthy branches entirely; cut these back to ground level.

3. Complete restorative pruning chores before mid-March to ensure robust summer growth.

References

• Virginia Cooperative Extension; Red Twig Dogwoods, Tatarian Dogwood (Cornus Alba) and Redosier Dogwood (Cornus Sericea); Alex X. Niemiera; November 2010
• University of Kentucky; Pruning Landscape Shrubs; R.E. McNiel, et al.