Cornus sericea / Red Osier at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

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Cornus sericea or red osier dogwood in bloom right now!  This genus hosts to over 60 pnw native butterflies and moths! Traditionally tea made from the bark has been used internally for coughs, colds, fevers, and sinus congestion! The bark tea has also been used as a wash for rashes, ulcers, and dandruff.

I participated in a New Year’s ceremony that involved using a twig to visualize the “buds” in my life that I wanted to nurture and encourage over the coming year. Afterwards we were told that we could bring the twigs home and put them in water, and that the buds might actually grow. I was pretty skeptical about it, but tried anyway, and was thrilled to discover tiny new leaves in the midst of a week of -30 weather. 

Red osier dogwood, Cornus sericea, adds some color to the wetlands in late fall. The berries are edible, but not really good to eat. The plant is used to add color to gardens and sometimes the bark is used as a red dye.

The berries of Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea).