Red-Osier Dogwood
Plants of the The Taiga PlainsBalsam Poplar | Black Spruce | Cloudberry | Horsetail | Red Osier Dogwood Scrub Birch | Siberian Yarrow | Sphagnum Moss | Tamarck Trembling Aspen | White Spruce Cornus stoloniferaAppearanceRed-Osier Dogwoods are shrubs (1 to 4 metres tall) with pointed oval leaves, bright red stems, white/green flowers and small white or blueish white berries. Range & HabitatFind this dogwood in moist soils near wetlands and rivers throughout North America, from Newfoundland and New York to Alaska, B.C. and northern California. Life CycleThis shrub spreads easily: it has many stems, and often lower branches touch the ground and put down roots. Animal UsesRed-Osier Dogwood provides an important source of winter food for moose, elk and deer. Traditional First Nations UsesFirst Peoples ate the berries (in spite of their bitterness) and boiled the bark to use as a poultice to relieve pain and swelling. Modern UsesThe striking red stems of the Red-Osier Dogwood make it a popular ornamental plant. Status COSEWIC: Not at Risk More Informationcollections.ic.gc.ca/hazeltons/redosier.htm |
