Description
Common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) is an excellent native plant to add to a wildlife-friendly hedge. The blossom is loved as a source of nectar by bees, the leaves are a food source for the caterpillars of several species of butterfly, and the small black berries which appear in autumn are a valuable food source for birds and small mammals.The plant also has several attractive properties for humans too - although the flowers don't have the nicest fragrance, they do provide a lovely show in late spring, and then in autumn and winter dogwoods come into their own. The leaves turn wonderful shades of red and purple, and once they have fallen the bare stems are brightly coloured to give interest in the darkest days of the year. If grown in full sun, the stems tend to be red, if grown in shade the stems stay a bright lime green.
Dogwoods are very easy to grow in just about any soil, but prefer a soil which doesn't dry out. They will tolerate full sun or quite dense shade, and naturally grow to about 7m if left unpruned, but are easy to keep clipped smaller if required. Indeed the best stem colour is on young one year old growth, so regular pruning encourages the best winter display.
The origin of the common name comes from the smooth straight twigs which were used as butchers skewers, called dags or dogs.
