Youll know red-osier dogwood from its red-to-burgundy bark and
twigs, which is a favorite among gardeners who appreciate a
splash of color during the gray of winter. The shrub grows 4½
feet to 20 feet tall and can be found from British Columbia down
through California and over to the East Coast. Wildlife also is
drawn to this perennial shrub, which puts out clusters of
flowers that are white or greenish in color from June to August.
The white berries they ripen in late summer and can stay on the
plants into winter are a favorite of birds, including scarlet
tanagers, cedar waxwings and wild turkey. Black bears, squirrels
and beavers are among the mammals that eat the fruit and
foliage, while deer, mountain goats and elk eat the twigs and
foliage. While the berries have been described as bitter and
inedible, they were a food source among North American tribal
people, although not those along the coast of the Pacific
Northwest. Coastal people used the bark and twigs medicinally.
That includes the Straits Salish,