The Colorful Dogwood Triplets.

When I was little my mother would talk about how beautiful certain trees and shrubs looked in the snow.  She would speak of how beautiful the Birch looked with their stark black twiggy branches would show up so well against the white background. She also talked about the golden Willow branches which poked through the snow banks. Probably the most showy shrub which grew at the bottom of the lane near our house was the Red Twig Dogwood with it’s wine colored stems. Cornus (sericea)stolonifera is one of 3 similar species grow here and through the northern areas right around the globe.

Red Osier Dogwood growing along roadsides is a common sight here.

There are several species of Red Twig Dogwoods which are so similar that you can’t really tell them apart at a glance. They all grow in shrub form, have almost identical flowers and reddish colored stems. Cornus stolonifera(sericea) which is the most vigorous grower extends from Alaska south to northern California and across North America through to Virginia. it has creamy berries with a bluish tinge.  In Europe Cornus sanguinea is found which has black berries. Moving farther east we come to the final type; Cornus alba which is found from Siberia through Manchuria into to Korea and also has the creamy berries.

Cornus stolonifera 'Flavirimea' is one of the brightest bark forms of shrubby Dogwoods.

These three Red Twig Dogwood have some of the most attractive barks in the plant world. Many colors ranging from golden through peach and scarlet and then into maroons to almost black are represented in forms which can be found in nurseries. the deeply veined leaves have smooth edges and can be variegated in shades of cream, gold and even flashes of peach. Fall brings another show of color ranging from deep maroons through to peach and gold.

The fall and winter color of Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire' in all it's glory.

All three species  of Red Twig Dogwood have flat cymes made up of tiny cream colored flowers, this flower structure is also seen in other Cornus species. In the right location the flowers will turn into bountiful crops of attractive berries which the birds like to eat later in the winter.

The many tiny Cornus stolonifera flowers have a slightly soapy scent.

The berries that follow the bloom can be copious and attractive. Birds like to eat them, but we would find them too bitter. Cornus alba has black berries which I have never seen. Here the local cornus stolonifera produces good crops year after year. The seeds of these plants are amazingly hardy. Tests have been done on them taking them to -320 f  in a lab, and then these same seeds have been germinated!

The attractive berries of Cornus stolonifera each contain a large flat seed.

Red Twig Dogwood are easy to grow and adaptable to many conditions. they need require a site in full sun with plenty of water. They like rich soil but are tolerant of poorer soils. Often these plants grow in wet area and can be found along lake sides and in ditches.  To produce the best stem color it is necessary to prune every 2 to 3 years and remove the older stems. Although these plants can grow to heights of 12ft(3m) and width of similar proportions you rarely see this unless it is in a wilder area. Normally these plants are easily controlled by pruning to 3 or 4ft (1-1.5m) heights.

Cornus stolonifera 'Arctic Fire' has some of the best red stem color.

As mentioned these are extremely hardy plant which grow in zones 3(-40c or f) through 8(-1c or 10 f). Because of there hardieness this is a good shrub to use in colder areas where choice is limited. It can be used in many ways such as mass planting, formal or informal hedges, foundation planting or as an accent. Various color forms make an excellent winter color feature when this plant will really stand out. Cut branches make a beautiful addition by giving bright color and height to bouquets and winter arrangements. The red branches are great for festive decoration.

To learn more about colorful Red Twig Dogwoods:

Great website with beautiful pictures: http://www.gardenseeker.com/cornus_pruning.htm

Another good read about Red Twig Dogwood: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1060/

Until we meet again….

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One Thorny Customer in Orange, Red or is it Yellow?

When I finished Horticulture school in North Vancouver I was lucky to be picked to work a practicum position over the summer months while school was not in session(the rest of the year students did the work). It was like another 4 months of school which I was paid to attend. We did all the jobs needed at Park & Tilford Gardens ranging from pruning in the rose garden to maintaining the baskets in the huge parking lot. Along with Park & Tilford there was another much smaller shopping center we occasionally did work at, this is where I learned first hand why Firethorn(Pyracantha species)  it’s well deserved  name.

The bright berries of this Firethorn show up well against this entrance.

The tip of every branch is ended with a stout thorn which is often completely hidden by the dense evergreen foliage. The first time I pruned one of these shrubs, my leather gloves where punctured and slashed. I also was punctured and it did burn a bit, I was told this was caused by the chemicals the thorn exuded. The name Pyracantha(Pyrakantha) literally means ‘fire-thorn’ in Greek – pyr meaning fire and akantha for thorn.

A wonderfully creative use of Pyracantha espaliered along the enclosure of the Japanese Gardens found at Glendale Gardens in Saanich.

There are several species of Pyracantha which have been crossed to give us a range of colorful berries and slight variations in leaves. Firethorns come from an area starting in Southern Europe and traveling across Asia to Taiwan. Several species are found in China. Pyracantha coccinea which is found in Italy into Asia Minor was the first to be used horticulturally. It was more formally introduced and named in 1629.

The leaves of this specimen are distinctly different then most commonly seen forms of Firethorn. This is Pyracantha 'Navaho'.

Firethorn is one of the most versatile of all shrubs and is used in challenging and varied sites. Often we first come across this shrub used as a barrier in parking lots or  as hedges. In those cases it often is severely pruned and most of its colorful berries are lost. It makes an interesting free form shrub if given the space it needs, as it grows quite large. Better use will be where the berries are highlighted as a wonderful fall feature.  the berries are also edible and one can make a tasty jelly with them.

A colorful espaliered Pyracanatha at the back of a grocery store in Sidney B.C.

Pyracantha can be worked into most situations. To get the best display of berries and flowers grow them in full sun, they are not particular about soil and will take any situation as long as it is not water-logged. They need adequate water during their May-June blooming period to produce a good berry crop. Firethorn adapts well to poor soil and drought conditions, here we have droughts every year from June through October with no damage to these tough shrubs.  they also survive well in areas with air pollution.  Pryacantha are surprisingly hardy as well, regularly tolerated -15c(-5f) which might cause them to loss some of their leaves.

A stunning yellow form which is rarely seen here. It might be Pyracantha 'Shawnee' but I am not sure.

As you can see, Firethorns can grow to be very tall and wide. It is possible to have a shrub which grows to a space of 4.5m x 4.5m(15ft x 15ft).I have seen them pruned very thin and grown to hide an ugly chain-link fence.   Fortunately Pyracantha can easily be pruned hard into attractive shapes as well. One of the most interesting examples I have seen was when I was in Japan visiting my sister. Christmas trees were created by twisting 2 color forms together into a traditional tree shape, with the berries as bright ribbons of gold and red. they were very festive and all that was missing where the presents. It was very impressive and probably expensive to create.

A very long driveway with a double Pyracantha hedge. This is the famous Woodwyn Farms in Central Saanich.

When selecting a Firethorn consider the space it will take up first. Many of the newer varieties are smaller and there are even some very compact forms which are used for Bonsai. Choose a berry color which will stands out best for where it is planted. Here the most commonly seen form is Pyracantha ‘Mohave‘ which has a bright orange berry, it is hard to find any other colors which is a pity.

Pyracantha 'Mohave' growing on an arbor, a popular choice in townhouses and condominiums.

To learn more about Firethorns:

How to grow this thorny customer: http://www.floridata.com/ref/P/pyra_coc.cfm

A little about the different species of Pyracantha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyracantha

Until we meet again….

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