Arctic Fire Red Twig Dogwood can be grown in partial or fun sun conditions in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 7. This shrub grows to be 3 to 5 feet in height and width at maturity in an upright form. This shrub tolerates wet soils so it can be planted in a low spot in your landscape or a rain garden. It can be used to create a short hedge, as a specimen plant, in a perennial garden or as a container plant. Plant this shrub in a location where you’ll often see it’s bright red stems during the dull days of winter.
These plants prefer moist areas, thriving in low spots or along streams or ponds. If there is not a lot of rain, water new plants weekly for the first few months. Mature plants only need watering during dry spells when there is no rain for more than a week.
Red twig dogwoods will tolerate partial shade, but the signature red bark will be brightest if they are planted in full sun.
Fertilize red twig dogwood in the early spring, side-dressing it with compost. When it has started to leaf out, you can feed it with fish emulsion, although it will do fine with no additional feeding.
Red twig dogwood bushes are considered good for areas with consistently moist soil (for example, wet spots where homeowners may wish to establish woodland gardens). Work humus into the soil for nutrients. They prefer somewhat acidic soil.
This shrub has adapted to a wide range of temperatures. It does not do well in extremely hot and humid climates where it can be vulnerable to diseases such as canker.
Cornus species fall into the class 4 toxicity class according to academic ratings of toxic plants. Such plants are considered capable of causing rash and skin irritation. There are also reports of the berries on dogwoods being mildly toxic to humans and animals, though serious illness is very rare. Medicinal preparations using parts of the dogwood plant have a long history among indigenous Native American people to treat colds and slow bleeding.