Snow for the holidays. What a lovely gift for our parched
landscapes. Even though the shaded areas of the garden have not
needed additional moisture since the sprinkler system was
winterized, I have pulled the hose out a couple times for the
bed with the bright southwestern exposure. So the snow is
welcome, and such a wonderful backdrop to one of my favorite
shrubs for winter — the red twig or Redosier dogwood or Cornus
sericea. Though it is lovely throughout the year, winter is
really its season to shine, with its bright red branches
contrasting against the snow. Cornus sericea is a shrub native
to Canada and all but the southeastern area of the United
States. In the wild, the species grows 8 to 10 feet tall and
spreads by suckering. This shrub is often found growing as an
understory component of riparian forests or early successional
woodland communities. In grassland areas it is most often found
growing along streams or in ravines. Though it prefers moist
soil, it is quite adaptable to moderate moisture si