Is Red Osier Dogwood deer resistant?
Cornus sericea
Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 2–7LightPart shade
Mature height60–108 in
BloomSpring and SummerMaintenanceModerate
Native range37 US states
About Red Osier Dogwood
Grown for the winter stems, and the colour only comes on young wood, so cut a third of the oldest stems to the ground every spring. Native, thrives in wet ground, and excellent for streambank stabilisation. Older neglected plants go dull brown and need renovating hard.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7
- Drainage
- Tolerates wet feet
- Water
- High
- Spacing
- 59 to 94 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Similar to Red Osier Dogwood
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Antelope BitterbrushPurshia tridentataSeldom damaged
- Anthony Waterer SpireaSpiraea x bumaldaZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Apache PlumeFallugia paradoxaZones 6–10Seldom damaged
- Armstrong JuniperJuniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii'Zones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn OliveElaeagnus umbellataZones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn SageSalvia greggiiZones 6–9Seldom damaged
Where Red Osier Dogwood grows
Hardy across most of these 48 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Coloradonative
- Californianative
- Oregonnative
- Washingtonnative
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolina
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montananative
- Wyomingnative
- Idahonative
- Utahnative
- Nevadanative
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaskanative
- District of Columbia
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 37 US states in total.
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Every list Red Osier Dogwood belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Red Osier Dogwood
- Is Red Osier Dogwood deer resistant?
- Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Red Osier Dogwood grow in?
- Red Osier Dogwood is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Red Osier Dogwood grow in shade?
- Yes. Red Osier Dogwood tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Red Osier Dogwood get?
- Mature height is roughly 60–108 in. Growth rate is fast.