Cornus alba aka Siberian Dogwood

Cornus alba is a deciduous shrub in the dogwood family. Its common names include Tatarian dogwood and Siberian dogwood. Its native range runs from eastern Europe to northern Korea. This includes parts of Russia, China, and Mongolia. Gardeners grow it for its red stems in winter. The name alba refers to its white fruit.

Garden plants reach about 4–10 feet [1.2–3 metres] tall. Their spread ranges from about 4–10 feet [1.2–3 metres]. Some accounts give a smaller height of 6 feet [1.8 metres]. The shrub grows fast and makes many stems. Young branches stand upright, then arch as they age. Suckers can spread into broad colonies beyond the main plant. Most stems have few branches until near their tips. Summer stems are green with red tones. They turn bright red in fall and winter. Raised pores, called lenticels, mark the smooth stems. Older bark can form a thin brown cork layer.

The dark green leaves grow in opposite pairs. Each leaf has a plain edge and a pointed tip. The upper side looks wrinkled; the underside may look waxy. Fall leaves can turn yellow, red, or reddish-purple. Some plants show little fall color. Small cream to yellow-white flowers open in May and June. They form flat clusters called cymes. Bees, butterflies, and other insects visit the blooms. White drupes follow in summer, sometimes with a blue tint. Birds eat the fruit and nest among the stems.

Grow this shrub in full sun or partial shade. It prefers moist soil that drains well. It also accepts wet sites and soil with poor drainage. Sources place it in USDA zones 3–7. One account reports cold hardiness as far as zone 2. Cool summers suit it better than hot ones. Remove the oldest stems in spring to encourage fresh growth. Young stems give the strongest winter color. Group plantings suit borders, hedges, screens, and natural areas. Spreading thickets can help hold soil against erosion. Deer and rabbits tend to leave it alone.

Suckers can make this shrub hard to remove. Heat and stress increase its risk of disease. Problems include anthracnose, leaf spot, mildew, canker, and root rot. Leaf and twig blight can also occur. Borers, scale, and leaf miners may attack it. Plants For A Future lists no known food or medicinal use. It also reports no known hazards, rather than proven safety. Its seeds yield oil used for industrial purposes.