The Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea, syn. C. stolonifera, Swida sericea) is a species of dogwood native throughout northern and western North America. Other names include Redtwig Dogwood, Red-rood, 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 - 4m tall and 3 - 5m wide, spreading readily by underground stolons to form dense thickets. The branches and twigs are dark red. The leaves are opposite, 5 - 12cm long and 2.5-6 cm broad, with an ovate to oblong shape and an entire margin; they are dark green above and glaucous below; autumn colour is commonly bright red to purple. The flowers are small (5-10 mm diameter), dull white in colour, in clusters 3-6 cm diameter. The fruit is a globose white berry 5 - 9mm diameter.
