Shrub · Cornaceae family
red-barked dogwood
Cornus alba
In short a 10-second read
Red-barked dogwood (shrub) grows to 2.4–3 m tall and 1.5–3 m wide when mature. It grows best in full sun to part shade, in average to moist soil. It flowers in May–June; the flowers are white. Hardy to −40 °C.
× spread 1.5–3 m
Where to plant
Sun, soil, frost.
It grows best in full sun to part shade, in average to moist soil. Hardy to −40 °C.
Sun
Tolerates several positions — choose to suit the rest of the garden.
Soil and water
average to moist · watering: moderate
Soil: clay, humus-rich, loamy, sandy
Soil pH 5–7.5
Frost
It copes with a normal winter outdoors.
How much space it takes
Mature size.
The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).
Next to a person
Reaches maturity in about 5–10 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.
Calendar
What to do and when.
Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.
The year at a glance
Flowers
May–June · white
Pruning
hard rejuvenation pruning (March)
Planting
container plant: October–April
Winter protection
not needed
Overwintering
It copes with winter on its own.
It overwinters outdoors without protection, hardy to −40 °C.
- Needs no protection
- Hardy to −40 °C
- Deciduous — bare in winter
What to combine it with
Same needs, different flowering.
They share the same sun and soil and flower in other months — so the bed flowers for longer.
Frequently asked
Quick answers.
When does red-barked dogwood flower?
In May–June; the flowers are white.
Does red-barked dogwood tolerate shade?
It tolerates part shade (3–6 hours of sun), but not full shade.
How much space does red-barked dogwood need?
At maturity 1.5–3 m wide and 2.4–3 m tall; recommended spacing 250 cm.
Does red-barked dogwood survive winter outdoors?
Yes, without protection, hardy to −40 °C.
Where the data comes from
The data is indicative — we are still comparing it with further sources. Last checked 17 October 2026.
Show sources (15)
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Cornus alba
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Cornus alba
- EUR-Lex — vykonávacie nariadenie
- Slov-lex — nariadenie vlády SR č. 449/2019 Z. z.
- BfN (Bundesamt für Naturschutz) — Naturschutzfachliche Invasivitätsbewertung
- EASIN (JRC Európskej komisie) — katalóg nepôvodných druhov
- GBIF Occurrence Search API — Cornus alba
- Wikidata (CC0) — Cornus alba
- RHS - Cornus alba
- RHS - Pruning groups
- RHS - Trees and shrubs: planting
- Clemson HGIC - Planting Trees Correctly
- RHS - How to grow shrubs
- windyridgegardencentre.ie
- Pergl et al. 2016, NeoBiota 28 — Black List BL2
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