Cornus sericea

The Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea, syn. C. stolonifera, Swida sericea) is a species of dogwood native throughout northern and western North America from Alaska east to Newfoundland, south to Durango and Nuevo Len in the west, and Illinois and Virginia in the east. Other names include Redtwig Dogwood, Red-rood, American Dogwood, and (subsp. occidentalis) Western Dogwood. In the wild, it commonly grows in areas of damp soil, such as wetlands. It is a medium to tall deciduous shrub, growing 1.5-4 meter tall and 3-5 meter wide, spreading readily by underground stolons to form dense thickets. The branches and twigs are dark red, although wild plants may lack this coloration in shaded areas. The leaves are opposite, 5-12 centimeter long and 2.5-6 centimeter broad, with an ovate to oblong shape and an entire margin; they are dark green above and waxy pale below; fall color is commonly bright red to purple. The flowers are small (5-10 millimeter diameter), dull white in color, in clusters 3-6 centimeter diameter. The fruit is a globose white berry 5-9 millimeter diameter.