Yellow Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea'
Previously known as:
- Cornus sericea 'Lutea'
- Phonetic Spelling
- KOR-nus ser-IK-ee-uh
- Description
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A compact multi-stemmed shrub with a broad-spreading rounded mounded habit. Sometimes sold as C. cericea 'Lutea'; can become invasive; spreads by stolons. It tolerates a wide range of soil types but prefers moist to wet, well-drained, highly organic soil. The best color is on young, vigorous stems so severely prune in early spring. Use it as a specimen or in mass plantings, as a screen or privacy hedge or as part of a shrub border. Works well in pollinator or rain gardens or to help with erosion control.
Seasons of Interest:
Foliage: Fall Bloom: Summer, early Fruit: Summer-Fall, red berries Bark: Winter, yellow
Insects, Diseases and Other Problems: Borers, leaf miner and scale are less serious potential insect pests. Often develops canker. Other diseases include powdery mildew, leaf spot, root rot, and leaf & twig blight.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cornus
- Species:
- sericea
- Family:
- Cornaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Wildlife Value:
- Fruits are attractive to birds and plants provide nesting sites. Members of the genus Cornus support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Gonandrena) fragilis, Andrena (Gonandrena) integra, and Andrena (Gonandrena) platyparia.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Description:
- Dark purple drupe in the late summer to fall.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Dull white flowers on flat-topped cyme in spring; short-lived
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Canary-yellow stems in winter;e dark green leaves; 2"-4" long; reddish-purple fall color
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Upright stems with short horizontal branching
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Erosion
- Wet Soil
