Description of Cornus sanguinea (Midwinter Fire)

Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire' is grown for winter stem colour, not flowers. It’s a dogwood that lights up dull months with red, orange and yellow stems. It can handle damp soil, so it works as a background plant near bog gardens and ponds.

Appearance

It forms a multi-stemmed shrub, often 1.5 to 2m tall, sometimes more if left unpruned. Summer foliage is green, then autumn colour can be warm tones before leaves drop. The winter show comes from young stems, which are the brightest.

Care Guide

To keep colour strong, you need a simple routine: cut back to encourage fresh stems.

• Sun: Sun gives the best winter colour, but it copes with part shade.
• Soil: Moist, fertile soil. It handles heavier ground well.
• Water: Water in the first year. Once established, it copes with damp sites.
• Pruning: Coppice hard in late winter every year or every other year for brighter stems.
• Spacing: Give it room. It broadens as it matures.

If you want a softer look, thin a third of older stems each year instead of coppicing the whole shrub.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This is a good choice for the back of a bog garden, especially if you want winter interest once herbaceous plants die back. It also helps frame ponds and hides edges and fences.

Keep it a little away from the wettest centre so the crown is not sitting in permanent saturation. The damp edge is ideal.

FAQ