Description: Cornus sericea Red - Red Twig Osier Dogwood - unrooted cutting Mature Height: 7 feet Aspect: partial shade Hardiness Zone: USDA 4 Red Twig/Red Osier Dogwood is a western native species growing in many mountainous woodland areas. The red stem form develops a bright red bark on the young canes, especially during the first winter. The red stems bring some much needed bright coloration to landscapes during the winter and is usually the most striking if plants are pruned back in early spring before the buds break, as the younger stems have the brightest color. Red Twig Dogwoods are tolerant of growing in wet areas and are frequently used to control erosion around streambanks. Mix these with the Yellow Twig form for the brightest contrast during the winter, and plant in a bright area where the bare stems can really shine. The spring flowers appear in bunches and when the leaves drop off in the fall they reveal white berries left on the stems for the birds to eat. Superior Selection Information Our plants are grown from cuttings off of plants selected for deep red color earlier in the summer and improved heat and drought tolerance. Red Twig Dogwoods are typically found growing near streambeds or other wet areas and so seedlings are typically not well adapted to upland dry sites. We collected seed from plants growing on hotter, drier sites in the Klamath Mountains and planted about a thousand seedlings in a hot, dry location in our nursery. After two years there were three standouts for excellent growth and color, and these three plants now serve as our mother stock for our clonal propagation. We have found that they thrive on about a third as much water as standard seedlings and had no issues following multiple days of 121 degrees with low humidity in 2021, nor after four days of 114 degrees with higher humidity in 2022. Information on Unrooted Cuttings Some plant species like Willows, Poplars, Elderberries, and Creek Dogwoods can be consistently propagated from hardwood cuttings that are planted directly into the field during winter, rather than in humidity controlled rooting chambers. Unrooted cuttings are both significantly cheaper and easier to plant than rooted shrubs and trees and are frequently used for large scale plantings of easily rooted species. Planting Unrooted Cuttings Sticking the Cuttings Keep the unrooted cuttings moist until you are ready to plant them, you can leave them in their packaging in a cold location for 1-2 weeks. It is important to plant the cuttings upright, with the younger tip on top and the older end planted in the soil. All of the cuttings in a bundle will be facing the same way with the bottoms flush together. If a stem gets separated then you can identify the top by looking at the buds, the buds are above the leaf scar. We leave room on the bottom of the cuttings for a fresh cut, right before planting give each unrooted cutting a fresh cut about 1/4 of an inch below the lowest node. The lowest node is where most of the roots will form so be sure to protect it from damage, be careful not to knock off the buds on the lowest node as the buds produce a good portion of the hormones that tell nearby tissue to produce roots. If both lower buds are knocked off you can make a new cut below the next node up the stem. Prepare the planting hole with a pencil, dowel, or rod about 3 inches deep into the soil and then push the cutting in until it gets good contact on the bottom. Press the soil down around the cutting to close the edges of the hole around the stem. Watering after sticking is recommended to ensure good cutting to soil contact. Preparing the hole is not necessary if you have very loose or sandy soils. Rooting hormone is not usually required but can be beneficial if you have it available. After Care Winter and spring rainfall is usually sufficient to keep the soil moist in wetter climates, but in some drier climates occasional irrigation may be necessary. It is important to not let the soil surface get too dry as this can cause the cuttings to dry out, but you don't want the soil to be soggy either as this can lead to rot. Moderately moist soil yields high success rates while overly wet or dry soils often result in poor success rates. In drier climates with sandy soils you can stick the cuttings about 5 inches deep instead of 3 to improve moisture retention. Tree tubes can also be quite beneficial in keeping the humidity higher around the top of the cuttings without restricting airflow, and this can also protect the cuttings from rodent damage if this is an issue in your area. Set of 10 unrooted cuttings that are ready to plant. Pictured are Red Twig Dogwoods.
Price: 9.99 USD
Location: Medford, Oregon
End Time: 2024-12-26T03:40:12.000Z
Shipping Cost: 9.99 USD
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Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Brand: Red Panda Nursery
Type: Live Plant
Genus: Cornus
Common Name: Dogwood
Color: Red
Features: Fast Growing
