CORNUS SERICEA `CARDINAL`

This native beauty has such a long list of features that it’s hard to see why it isn’t used more. Quick growing and spreading, this plant unfurls its medium green foliage in the spring which darkens to form a great backing to flattened heads of small white flowers that bloom in late May and can persist even into early July. These flowers are a butterfly magnet while the heads of whitish, blue blushed fruit that form later in the summer are considered a delicacy by birds. Even better, ‘Cardinal’ will awe you with its reddish-purple fall foliage show and its stunning red twig color in winter is pure magic. ‘Cardinal’ will tolerate moist soils and is perfect for grouping and providing nesting cover for native birds. Thin out 25% of this plant’s old branches each year to retain the best winter color.